The Villainess Is Pretending to Be Sweet Again Today (Transmigration) - Chapter 39

The funeral hall was crowded with people—some Long Huaichang had seen on television, others she recognized from newspapers.

Since Long Yingjun had been quite the playboy during his lifetime, his various mistresses wanted to come and send flowers to their “boyfriend.” However, they were all shooed away by the legal wife’s people.

Long Huaichang stood there, watching the comings and goings in the vast funeral hall. Despite the large crowd, everyone remained silent, the only sound being the quiet tapping of shoes against the marble floor.

“Look, that one over there…”

Just then, Long Huaichang heard murmurs. Without even looking, she knew it was a group of men and women pointing fingers at her behind her back.

It was nothing new—just the usual gossip about how a bastard child like her dared to show up at the Long family’s funeral.

“How shameless of this illegitimate child to attend the Long family’s funeral?” someone whispered. “Who even let her in? It’s such bad luck—a bastard shouldn’t be standing here. It’s disgraceful.”

“Exactly. If the old madam sees her, she might faint from anger!”

“Someone should inform Chairwoman Mu immediately and have this mistress’s daughter thrown out!”

The murmurs continued until a sudden stir rippled through the crowd—Mu Jiazhao had arrived with her team of secretaries.

Dressed in a black business suit, Mu Jiazhao had a coat draped over her shoulders, its sleeves swaying loosely as she walked, her high heels clicking rhythmically against the floor like a gust of wind.

She removed her sunglasses and glanced around the room. The moment she entered, all eyes turned to her.

“Good afternoon, Chairwoman Mu.”

“Madam Mu.”

“Chairwoman.”

People greeted her at every step, but she only responded with slight nods.

From afar, Mu Jiazhao spotted Long Huaichang. Handing her sunglasses and coat to an assistant, she walked over.

“Watch this—the legal wife is about to tear that bastard child apart!”

“Hahaha, this is going to be entertaining!”

The whispers grew louder, but Long Huaichang remained indifferent, not even sparing them a glance.

When Mu Jiazhao reached her, she slowly raised her hand.

Just as everyone expected her to slap Long Huaichang, she instead gently touched her cheek, her slender fingers lingering on the scarf around her neck.

“It’s warm inside,” Mu Jiazhao said softly. “Take off your scarf.”

“No need,” Long Huaichang replied flatly. “I’ll just leave after placing a flower for him.”

“Since you’re here, there’s no need to rush.” Mu Jiazhao took Long Huaichang’s hand in full view of everyone. “Come and see your grandmother.”

The onlookers gasped in shock. Who was Mu Jiazhao? She was Long Aotian’s legal wife, the chairwoman of the Long Corporation, the inheritor of the Long family’s billions!

For someone of her status to be so intimate with an illegitimate child—how could anyone not be stunned?

Though Long Huaichang disliked Mu Jiazhao’s physical gestures, she didn’t resist under the public gaze, allowing herself to be led toward the elderly woman in the wheelchair.

“Mother.”

Mu Jiazhao walked over to the wheelchair and crouched down to look up at her mother-in-law, saying, “I’ve brought Huaichang. Didn’t you always want to see her?”

The old woman’s expression darkened. She glanced up at this granddaughter whom she couldn’t stand the sight of and instinctively frowned.

In the eyes of the older generation, Long Huaichang, as an illegitimate child, was unworthy of acknowledgment.

The old woman knew her son was a philanderer by nature. She was aware of his affairs but chose to turn a blind eye—as long as nothing was exposed, even the biggest scandals could be kept within the family.

But Long Huaichang was different. She was Long Aotian’s only child. If Huaichang had been born to his first wife, the family’s billions would have gone to her instead of her daughter-in-law.

An outsider bearing a different surname.

“Hmm.”

Though the old woman disliked Huaichang, she couldn’t openly show it in front of so many people. She merely waved dismissively, signaling for Huaichang to step aside and stay out of her sight.

Huaichang was more than happy to oblige. She hadn’t come willingly in the first place, and this way, she could at least have some peace.

Noticing her mother-in-law’s reluctance to engage with Huaichang, Mu Jiazhao didn’t press the issue. Instead, she said to Huaichang, “Go see your brother.”

Huaichang nodded. In truth, there was no body—the plane had exploded midair, scattering debris into the sea. Even if anything remained, it would have been devoured by fish. The coffin held only a set of Long Yingjun’s old clothes and a few of his personal belongings.

Many had already placed white chrysanthemums on the casket. After cleaning her hands, Huaichang added one as well.

The dead deserved respect. Though Yingjun had never treated her well, she saw no point in holding a grudge against a corpse. But as she finished paying her respects, she noticed her sister-in-law standing nearby, her face expressionless.

This was Yingjun’s wife of five years—a marriage of convenience, devoid of affection. Unsurprisingly, she didn’t seem particularly grief-stricken.

“Sister-in-law,” Huaichang greeted softly. “My condolences.”

The woman looked up at her. She knew who this girl was—by now, the entire family did.

“Thank you,” she replied indifferently. “I appreciate you making the trip.”

Huaichang glanced back at Yingjun’s portrait and asked, “Sister-in-law, what exactly happened in the accident?”

“They say the plane’s engine failed. It exploded in midair,” the woman answered flatly, arms crossed. “The search team scoured the area for a week but came back empty-handed.”

Huaichang blinked, nodded, and walked away.

When she returned to Mu Jiazhao’s side, her stepmother was still chatting with a business tycoon. Spotting Huaichang, she excused herself and approached.

“Huaichang,” Mu Jiazhao said. “Did you pay your respects?”

“Yes,” Huaichang replied. After a brief silence, she added, “Can I go see my father?”

She hadn’t been allowed to see him before his death, nor had she been permitted to attend his burial. Now that she was finally here, she wanted to lay eyes on the man who had sired her.

Mu Jiazhao’s expression flickered before settling back into neutrality. She gestured for her assistant and told Huaichang, “She’ll take you.”

Huaichang acknowledged this and followed the assistant out.

Mu Jiazhao crossed her arms as she watched Long Huaichang’s retreating figure, pondering for a moment before turning to leave.

In the private Long family cemetery, Long Huaichang placed a bouquet of white flowers before the tallest tombstone.

The rain still fell, so her assistant held a large umbrella over her, careful to keep her dry.

“Dad.”

Long Huaichang reached out to touch the photo on the tombstone—a man whose face was unfamiliar to her, as she and her mother had only seen him two or three times a year.

“I came to see you,” Long Huaichang murmured. “In two months, I’ll be 18. It’s a shame you never got to see me grow up.”

The grave remained silent, with only the sound of rain pattering against the umbrella.

“Mom joined you just a few months after you passed,” she continued. “I hope you’re both doing well over there.”

“Sometimes I wonder—if I had followed you, maybe we could have been reunited.”

“But… now I have someone more important in my life. Please forgive your unfilial daughter for not being able to join you.”

“This will probably be the only time I visit you.” She gently traced her father’s photo. “I don’t think I’ll have another chance.”

Seeing her stand, the assistant asked, “Young Miss, are you ready to leave?”

“Yes,” Long Huaichang replied. “There’s nothing left for me to do here.”

“Madam said to wait a little longer—she’ll personally take you home.”

“That’s unnecessary.”

“It’s impossible to get a taxi here, and the bus stop is over an hour’s walk away.”

“…”

Long Huaichang glanced at the mountains surrounding them and sighed. It seemed she really had no choice but to wait for Mu Jiazhao to drive her back.

The memorial service would last three days—the first for the Long family and corporate insiders, the next two for Long Yingjun’s numerous lovers, media, and business partners.

Long Huaichang ate in the cafeteria behind the memorial hall, sitting with the Long family, though she barely touched her food.

Mu Jiazhao wasn’t annoyed by her constant phone use. Shortly after 1 PM, she called for Long Huaichang to prepare for the trip home.

This time, they rode in an ordinary business car, sitting side by side in silence.

Finally, Mu Jiazhao spoke. “Huaichang, I’ve spoken with your grandmother. You can move into the Long family home now.”

Long Huaichang paused, turning to study her profile. “What do you mean?”

“Your brother is dead. Aside from you, there’s no suitable heir left in the Long family.” Mu Jiazhao continued calmly, “Besides, you’ll have access to better resources here.”

Without hesitation, Long Huaichang refused. “No, thank you. I don’t need that.”

Mu Jiazhao glanced at the girl beside her. “Who is that girl—Nuo Yang—to you?”

Long Huaichang glared at her.

Mu Jiazhao said coolly, “You won’t achieve anything by staying with her. Listen to me—come to the Long family. I’ll train you to be the perfect heir.”

“My affairs with my sister are none of your concern.” Long Huaichang turned her gaze to the car window and said, “Madam, please don’t come looking for me again in the future, or it might lead to misunderstandings.”

Moreover, Long Huaichang was perfectly content with her current life—she had never intended to change it.

And no one could make her change.