The Yandere Queen's Manual for Training Her Wife - Chapter 41

Xia Mingtang drove to the location Qin Yan had mentioned. At that moment, Qin Yan was sitting by the window in a café, leisurely enjoying her afternoon tea.

Xia Mingtang got out of the car and walked straight over to her seat. Looking at the calm and relaxed Qin Yan, she held out her hand. “What’s so urgent? Hand it over.”

Earlier, Qin Yan had called, saying she had forgotten something very important and urgent, and insisted Xia Mingtang come immediately to pick it up.

Qin Yan set down her coffee cup and pushed a delicately packaged box of pastries across the table.

Xia Mingtang opened it—tiramisu?

She was immediately amused with anger. “This is the important and urgent thing? Are you kidding me?”

Qin Yan met her irritated gaze with a gentle, amiable smile. “This is Chef Zhang’s new flavor. It was timed to be freshly made just when you arrived. If you were late, it wouldn’t taste as good.”

Hearing this only made Xia Mingtang even angrier. Being summoned out during working hours for something as trivial as a dessert—did Qin Yan think she was a pig?

“You enjoy it yourself.” She tossed the pastry box back at Qin Yan and stormed off.

Qin Yan watched the little fox-like figure rush away, picked up the few fallen pieces of tiramisu, and scooped one into her mouth, expression unreadable.

Meanwhile, at the company, An Ran received a mysterious text message:

Some things are better left unsaid, for your own good.

Because of this unpleasant little incident, Xia Mingtang had refused to speak to Qin Yan for several days. Even when Grandmother Xia tried to persuade her, it had no effect. Xia Mingtang was resolute.

“Grandma, I’ve been very busy at work recently. After the wedding, there will be even more matters to attend to. I need to focus on my career now.”

Though Grandmother Xia never expected much from her granddaughter, she was pleased to see her so ambitious and thoughtful about the future. Xia Mingtang was growing up; she was becoming more thorough and considerate.

So she did not interfere further.

Time flew, and it was now the 5th—the day of Xia Mingtang and Qin Yan’s wedding.

After several days of a one-sided “cold war,” Xia Mingtang’s anger had mostly subsided. Despite Qin Yan’s troublesome antics, the wedding was set, and it had to go on.

The entire Marquis Hotel had been booked for the event, with thousands of tables of guests. Anyone with even the slightest connection to the Xia or Ji families had received an invitation.

Unlike other wealthy families who preferred small, high-end gatherings, Qin Yan’s approach was openly high-profile. If the venue allowed, she would have invited the entire city to witness her grand wedding.

The Marquis Hotel had spared no expense. Every floor had new handcrafted carpets. Tens of thousands of fresh flowers were flown in overnight from fifteen countries, all rare and exquisite varieties. Even the wine glasses on the tables were made of pure gold.

The extravagance drew curious remarks from the guests:

“Wasn’t Xia’s fiancée originally Ji San’s daughter? Why is it suddenly Miss Qin?”

“I heard Miss Qin is also from the Ji family, but her style is very different from theirs.”

“True, the Ji family is rich but never showy. This Miss Qin, however, has completely replaced the hotel decorations—eighteen floors for a wedding! Last year’s wedding of the Song family heir pales in comparison.”

“Seems like a formidable character. Is Rong City going to change now?”

“Who cares about all that? We’re just here to eat and drink.”

Meanwhile, Qin Yan, the center of attention, was in the makeup room, letting several makeup artists work on her simultaneously. She held her phone, eyes fixed on the tiny red dot moving across the screen, her face full of tender smiles.

According to local custom, the bride and groom were not allowed to see each other for three days before the wedding. At that moment, they were separated by an entire floor.

With less than two hours to the ceremony, all she could do was watch the screen for reassurance.

Suddenly, the red dot stopped moving. Although this had happened before, something felt off.

Qin Yan waited a few more minutes, but the dot remained frozen.

Something was wrong.

She jumped up, ignoring the makeup artists finishing their work, and ran upstairs.

“Miss Qin, your makeup—”

The artist’s voice was drowned out by the slamming door.

The door to the upstairs makeup room burst open. Qin Yan looked at the chair where the bride should have been—empty.

She turned to the makeup artists, her expression darkening. “Where is Miss Xia?”

“She… she said she went to the bathroom,” the artist stammered under Qin Yan’s intimidating presence.

Qin Yan picked up the birdcage necklace left aside on the table, her face growing even darker.

The bodyguards, hidden and on standby, were called out.

“Search carefully. Try not to alert anyone.”

Meanwhile, Xia Mingtang had no idea that her small, careless act had pushed someone nearly to the edge of a blow-up.

Although she loved beauty, she had never experienced two straight hours of makeup by three artists at once.

A wedding was supposed to be simple! Why make it more complicated than walking a red carpet?

The professional makeup team Qin Yan had hired treated her with gentle words but effectively “tied her to the chair,” letting her move only minimally. If she hadn’t claimed she needed water, she might never have been released.

Her outfit was a bit cumbersome. When she stood up, the birdcage necklace around her neck caught, and looking at the small trinket Qin Yan had gifted her, she couldn’t help but feel annoyed.

She ripped it off and tossed it onto the table. She needed air.

But the hotel was bustling with people, either guests or staff.

If someone saw the bride now, it would surely cause a commotion.

Xia Mingtang dodged through the crowd to a quiet corner, pulled out her phone to play a game, and overheard a whispered conversation.

She peeked and saw two familiar-looking men—they were cousins of Ji Xianglan, one appearing to be the son of Ji San.

“They say that Qin, after so many years abroad, suddenly comes back and makes such a big deal. Could it be to show us the Ji family who’s boss?”

“Not just to show off. She’s back to take on the Ji family. That woman is ruthless. You weren’t there that day—Second Master almost fainted from anger.”

“Why didn’t that bitch die abroad? And now we still have to attend her wedding—how unlucky!”

Xia Mingtang had been eavesdropping for gossip, but hearing them curse Qin Yan, she could not let it pass.

“Who are you calling a bitch?!” she shouted, brandishing her phone like a weapon.

“You… Miss Xia, you heard wrong. We were just talking about a TV drama,” said one, realizing he had been caught speaking ill about the bride, and he immediately softened.

“Talking about a TV drama? Do you think I’m deaf or stupid?”

Compared to the timid cousin, Ji Xianghui was much bolder. “I’m talking about that Qin bitch. If you want to report it, go ahead.”

Xia Mingtang stomped in her heels, standing before Ji Xianghui. Though half a head shorter, her presence was equally imposing.

“Messing around outside and running home to complain—that’s your usual move, Second Master? I’m not as cowardly as you.”

“If I’m not mistaken, Qin Yan is your aunt, right? Then I’m your aunt-in-law.

“Your parents didn’t teach you to respect elders? If they didn’t, I will.”

She swung her phone toward Ji Xianghui’s shoulder as she shouted, “Stop spreading rumors! Stop cursing people!”

Xia Mingtang had always been fiery and merciless. Having been cooped up in the makeup room, this was her perfect outlet.

Ji Xianghui blocked his shoulder and stepped back. “Don’t think I’m afraid to hit a woman!”

“Come on, then!” Xia Mingtang raised her phone to continue the assault.

She had already assessed the two men: one was too cowardly to act, the other all bark and no bite.

Ji Xianghui, spoiled by his family and unwilling to lose, swung a fist at Xia Mingtang’s head.

Before it could reach her, a jade-like hand caught it.

Ji Xianghui looked up at the figure, face like a wrathful deity.

Qin Yan applied just enough force, and after hearing a few cracking sounds, she slowly said, “Go.”

Ji Xianghui, who had almost broken half his arm, lost all arrogance and was dragged away by the other cousin, fleeing like a coward.

Xia Mingtang looked at Qin Yan’s dark expression, unsure how much of her earlier words Qin Yan had heard.

Anyone would be upset if their family spoke curses behind their back.

She reached out and tugged at Qin Yan’s sleeve. “Those two were just idiots. Don’t take their words seriously.”

“I wasn’t affected by them,” Qin Yan said, eyes unfathomable.

“If you really weren’t, then smile.” Xia Mingtang couldn’t bear Qin Yan’s artificially serious demeanor, so she roughly lifted the corners of her lips into a smile.

Qin Yan allowed it, her expression still stern. She took the platinum birdcage necklace from her pocket and locked it around Xia Mingtang’s neck again.

“Wear it properly. Don’t lose it again.”

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