After surviving my ordeal, I learned that the school beauty had given birth to twins for me.

Chapter 88 Father and daughter meet, Jiang Zhenbang loses his composure

Her face was ashen, her eyes fixed on Jiang Xinlan, and her whole body trembled uncontrollably, as if she had seen something terrifying.

"Manli, what's wrong?" the socialite next to her asked in surprise.

Liu Wanhua followed her gaze and looked over. The moment she saw Jiang Xinlan, her pupils suddenly contracted, and her hands on her knees clenched tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.

She had seen Shen Jiao countless times and knew better than anyone what Shen Jiao looked like when she was young. Jiang

Xinlan stood there, and it was as if Shen Jiao from more than 20 years ago was standing right in front of her. Her eyebrows, face shape, forehead, lips, and even the dimples at the corners of her mouth when she smiled were exactly the same.

More than twenty years of fear and jealousy surged into her heart in an instant, and a trace of resentment flashed in her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it.

He picked up a tissue and wiped the wine stains off Jiang Manli's clothes, then hissed in a low voice, "What's the rush! Sit still! Don't let people laugh at you!"

Jiang Manli came to her senses, her lips trembling, her voice trembling with tears:

"Mom...did you see her? She looks...she looks exactly like Shen Jiao...If Dad sees her, he'll definitely recognize her...What should we do...?"

"Shut up!" Liu Wanhua pinched her hard, her eyes icy cold.

"With your uncle here, what are you afraid of? Don't say anything out of line, and don't look at her, do you hear me?"

Jiang Manli bit her lip, not daring to speak again, but her gaze still drifted uncontrollably towards Jiang Xinlan, her eyes filled with fear and resentment.

Liu Qingxuan sat to the side, holding a cup of tea. His moon-white Taoist robe stood out conspicuously in the banquet hall filled with suits and formal wear.

He appeared to be resting with his eyes closed, but in reality, all his attention was focused on Shen Yu.

He could clearly sense that Shen Yu did not possess the aura of a Xuanmen cultivator, yet he was like a bottomless ancient well, and no matter how he probed, he could not fathom its depth.

This feeling stirred a strong sense of unease within him.

Jiang Zhenbang, who was sitting in the main seat, was talking to Zheng Zangfeng, the head of the Zheng family, when he casually looked up at the door.

With just one glance, he froze on the spot.

He tilted the wine glass in his hand slightly, spilling wine onto his expensive dark gray suit trousers, but he was completely unaware.

His gaze was fixed on Jiang Xinlan's face, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his blood seemed to freeze at that moment.

so similar.

They look so alike.

The young girl in front of him looked almost exactly like Shen Jiao, whom he had cherished in his bones for over twenty years.

Not only her appearance, but also the cool temperament between her brows and eyes, and the gentleness in her eyes when she smiles, are exactly the same.

He and Shen Jiao were childhood sweethearts and had a very deep relationship.

After Shen Jiao died in childbirth, he did not remarry for more than 20 years. He always kept a photo of Shen Jiao in his study, and his longing for her was deep in his bones day and night.

He knew Shen Jiao's appearance too well, so well that he could remember even just a profile or a glance.

That's why he lost his composure the moment he saw Jiang Xinlan.

For a fleeting moment, he even felt a sense of disorientation, as if time had reversed and Shen Jiao had returned to his side.

"President Jiang? President Jiang?" Zheng Zangfeng, seeing his absent-minded look, quickly called out to him twice, followed his gaze, and said with a smile,

"What's wrong? That's Mr. Shen Yu from Jiangcheng, and his wife, Ms. Jiang Xinlan. I invited them over specially."

Jiang Zhenbang snapped back to reality, put down his wine glass, and his voice trembled slightly, a tremor he himself didn't even realize:

"What...what's her name? Jiang Xinlan?"

"Yes, Jiang Xinlan." Zheng Zangfeng nodded, somewhat surprised by his loss of composure.

"She is a very excellent actress with great acting skills. Her new drama, 'The Wind Rises in Chang'an,' is about to air."

Jiang Xinlan... Jiang...

Jiang Zhenbang murmured the name, his fingertips trembling slightly.

She shared the same surname, Jiang, and even looked exactly like her deceased wife…

As if by some unseen thread, he was tightly connected to this girl he had never met before.

The inexplicable premonition in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

He could no longer sit still. He straightened his suit and, ignoring Liu Wanhua's suddenly tense gaze, walked straight toward Shen Yu and Jiang Xinlan.

At this moment, Shen Yu and Jiang Xinlan were surrounded by several entrepreneurs from Beijing, who greeted them warmly.

Shen Yu handled the situation with composure and grace, but he always held Jiang Xinlan's hand, protecting her by his side.

Then a deep, steady male voice came: "Good evening, gentlemen."

The two turned their heads at the same time and saw a composed middle-aged man standing in front of them.

The man was around fifty years old, with deep-set eyes and a high nose bridge. He exuded a powerful aura of someone who had long held a high position. He was Jiang Zhenbang, the head of the Jiang family and Jiang Xinlan's biological father.

Jiang Xinlan didn't recognize him, but she still smiled politely and nodded, "Hello."

Jiang Zhenbang's gaze lingered on her face for a long time.

Looking into her clear eyes, and seeing her features so similar to Shen Jiao's, he felt a tight grip on his heart, a mixture of sourness and pain.

His voice trembled with disbelief, and his breathing became rapid: "Excuse me, Miss Jiang...where are you from?"

Jiang Xinlan was taken aback for a moment, but still politely replied, "I'm from Jiangcheng."

"Jiangcheng..." Jiang Zhenbang murmured, repeating the two words, then couldn't help but ask again.

"How are Miss Jiang's parents? Forgive my bluntness, but you look so much like a deceased friend of mine, so much so that I almost mistook you for someone else."

Upon hearing this, Liu Wanhua and Jiang Manli, who had followed, instantly tensed up, their hearts leaping into their throats.

Liu Wanhua clenched her fists tightly, her nails almost digging into her flesh, afraid that Jiang Xinlan would say something she shouldn't.

Jiang Xinlan also noticed the unusual tone in his voice, but still smiled calmly:

"My parents are both very good people, just ordinary retired workers. Mr. Jiang must have mistaken me for someone else. I grew up in Jiangcheng and have never been to Beijing before, so I shouldn't know any of your old friends."

Shen Yu subtly pulled Jiang Xinlan behind him, then looked up at Jiang Zhenbang, his tone calm yet carrying a strong sense of pressure:

"Mr. Jiang, I've long admired your name. But it's rather impolite of you to pry into my wife's private affairs on our first meeting."

Jiang Zhenbang then came to his senses and realized his lapse in composure.