Does Jiang Qin know she was wrong?

Jiang Qin did not give Lan Yuyan an immediate answer, stating that she needed to think about it first.

As for what she needed to consider, naturally, it was to consult her boss, seeing as she was, after all, still an employed worker.

She was the sole soothing specialist at the bar, and if she went off to participate in a competition, the establishment would likely have to suspend its operations.

"An interstellar composer? You might as well give it a try. I was just thinking about relocating the bar to the capital star anyway.

Leaving you and Yongkang behind on Blue Star alone still leaves me a bit uneasy."

Moreover, Yuwei was also worried that Jiang Qin might be triggered by familiar surroundings and unearth painful memories.

Remaining on Blue Star, watching the Jiang family members live their lives happily every day while she herself was excluded, would be far too distressing.

Only by distancing herself from these people and affairs could she perhaps find a glimmer of happiness.

"If you feel confident, I would advise you to participate. Once you have honors attached to your name, anyone wishing to harbor malicious intentions against you in the future will have to think twice."

After all, Jiang Qin lacked a prominent family background and possessed a low tier level. The partner she might find in the future likely wouldn't be exceptionally powerful either, rendering them incapable of offering her proper protection.

Therefore, Yuwei strongly suggested that she secure her own status and standing.

Jiang Qin shared the exact same sentiment.

This was not merely an entertainment competition; it also directly concerned the dignity of the Federation.

She held immense confidence in her own cheat-like abilities.

Since her boss had no objections, Jiang Qin gave Lan Yuyan her reply, finalizing the matters regarding the schedule and compensation.

That was right—even though this endeavor would benefit her, the customary appearance fee still had to be paid.

After all, she would be participating under the banner of a composer belonging to Asking Heaven Entertainment Company.

***

The Jiang Family.

A month had already passed since Jiang Qin's departure, and Jiang Yulian had long since learned of the commotion she had caused outside.

Yet, she had never gone to seek Jiang Qin out, because Jiang Meng had shouldered the responsibility of communicating with her younger sister.

Believing that Jiang Qin had always treated Jiang Meng, her elder sister, quite well back at home, Jiang Yulian had agreed to the arrangement.

She figured that since they were both young females, communication between them would undoubtedly be smoother.

Thus, today she asked as usual, "Does Jiang Qin realize her mistake? When is she planning to come home?"

Jiang Meng froze for a moment, looking somewhat troubled as she replied, "My sister has added me to her blacklist. I waited in line for days at the bar without ever managing to get inside, so I haven't seen her yet..."

Jiang Ruhai, who usually hurled endless curses at Jiang Qin, sat in silence with his head bowed low, deep in thought.

This reaction made Jiang Meng feel rather distressed.

Suppressing her discomfort, she softly inquired, "Is Xiaohai able to reach your second sister?"

Jiang Ruhai shook his head in silence.

His feelings toward Jiang Qin had grown extraordinarily complex of late, for he had sneaked into Twilight Bar on numerous occasions.

With classmates helping to secure a place in the queue, they were able to gain entry almost every time.

Hearing his classmates endlessly praise Jiang Qin right beside his ear, coupled with the fact that he... seemed to have grown rather fond of Jiang Qin's songs, he found himself less and less capable of cursing her lately.

He had even begun to reflect on whether they had simply favored Jiang Meng far too much, driving Jiang Qin to such desperate lengths.

Perhaps everyone was at fault.

Every household deeply cherished the females within their family. Previously, they only had Jiang Meng, and he had followed closely behind her to protect her ever since he was born.

Thus, he had firmly believed that his eldest sister could do no wrong.

Then suddenly, the family brought another female home and informed him that she was his biological sister.

Naturally, he had struggled to adapt, and seeing Jiang Qin display an immediate dislike for Jiang Meng had naturally ignited his anger.

His eldest sister had never suffered mistreatment since childhood; how could he bear to watch her be bullied by this abrupt second sister who had suddenly popped up?

Jiang Qin had already reunited with her birth mother and would have an entire household of relatives in the future, whereas Sister Meng had only them—her younger brothers.

In truth, lingering resentment still harbored within Jiang Ruhai's heart—resentment over why Jiang Qin insisted on stripping away everything from Jiang Meng until she was satisfied.

When she failed to get her way, she resorted to running away from home to force their compromise.

Therefore, even though his perspective on Jiang Qin had shifted, he still secretly hoped she would not return.

What if she came back only to target Jiang Meng again, or worse, attempted to drive Sister Meng away?

Besides, she was so capable; she could undoubtedly live quite well on her own outside.

Upon seeing her eldest son's silent and withdrawn demeanor, Jiang Yulian's imagination ran wild, stirring up such intense frustration that she spoke without thinking.

"What is that ungrateful wretch playing at? Does she truly intend to cut ties with us for the rest of our lives?

What on earth is she so dissatisfied about? Did the Jiang family treat her poorly? Or does she simply relish the chaotic atmosphere of a bar?

Does she enjoy the feeling of being fawned over by those low-tier males?"

Jiang Meng murmured a gentle reminder, "Mom, could it be because sister was abducted last time and we didn't send anyone to look for her, which made her angry?"

"But she didn't need rescuing!"

Jiang Yulian felt even more aggrieved. She had originally intended to dispatch people to search for her, but a close friend had analyzed the situation and suggested that Jiang Qin was likely staging the entire episode herself.

She had done it purely for the trending topics on the interstellar network, to attract a larger audience to listen to her songs and boost her rankings.

She had deliberately orchestrated the stunt simply to capture the spotlight.

And sure enough, she had returned on her own accord shortly after.

If she had truly fallen into the hands of space pirates, everyone knew what fate awaited a female.

Yet Jiang Qin had returned home completely unscathed; if this wasn't a self-directed drama, what was it?

"Forget it. A brat like that was born simply to be our creditor. Tomorrow, I will go see her myself and have a talk."

Jiang Meng quickly urged, "Mom, if you want to see my sister, you'll have to go wait by the back door of the bar in advance. We probably won't be able to get in through the front."

"Why wouldn't we be able to get in? Could it be that she's instructed people to bar our entire family from entry?

Did she mistreat you before? Did she give you a hard time?" Jiang Yulian grew increasingly furious the more she thought about it.

Jiang Meng desperately wished to pin this blame squarely on Jiang Qin, but she knew she could not.

Resentment was a delicate thing; too much of it would backfire. She still wanted Jiang Qin to return, otherwise, her subsequent plans would become exceedingly difficult to execute.

Consequently, she quickly spoke up to defend Jiang Qin, fabricating an excuse and offering a few kind words on her behalf.

Her efforts successfully earned her a wave of guilt and tender affection from the Jiang family members.

Particularly Jiang Ruhai, who for reasons unknown had stopped clinging to her as closely as before—the guilt in his eyes was so profound he looked as though he wanted to slap himself right on the spot.

"Rest assured, Mengmeng, regardless of whether Jiang Qin comes back or not, you will always be the eldest young miss of the Jiang family. No one will ever surpass you."

"Thank you, Mom!"

The mother and daughter embraced with slightly reddened eyes, a sight that would convince anyone of the genuine maternal and filial bond between them.

The male members of the Jiang family standing nearby all wore expressions of gratification.

***

However, Jiang Qin, whose path was blocked the very next day, found herself growing rather irritated.

"Is there something you need?"

Jiang Yulian asked in disbelief, "Jiang Qin, what kind of attitude is that? Have you forgotten how to address your elders?"

Jiang Qin chuckled lightly. "My politeness is reserved for human beings. As for people I despise, putting up a polite facade is genuinely difficult for me."