Chapter 51: Flaring Up
Translator:Atlas StudiosEditor:Atlas Studios
Her entire body felt weak. Stumbling, she fell backwards.
Gu Zhou had long since sensed that something was wrong with Qiao Nian's expression. He followed behind her.
Seeing that she was about to fall, he quickly stepped forward to support her.
The familiar scent of ambergris wafted towards her. In a daze, she opened her eyes, her gaze landing on the man's face. In a soft voice, she murmured, "Gu Zhou…"
Gu Zhou bent down and picked Qiao Nian up in his arms, bridal style.
Chen Qing, who was standing to the side, was completely stunned.
Didn't the Second Young Master have a phobia of women?
When did he recover from that illness?
Why wasn't he aware?
Gu Zhou took two steps forward. Seeing that Chen Qing was still standing there blankly, he frowned.
"Drive to the hospital!"
Chen Qing came back to his senses and quickly nodded. "Yes, sir."
Once they got into the car, Gu Zhou's eyes flashed. He ordered, "Head straight home!"
Chen Qing glanced in the rearview mirror. Qiao Nian was in Gu Zhou's arms, and her face was flushed red, as if she had a fever.
Why didn't the Second Young Master ask him to send Qiao Nian to the hospital?
Chen Qing could not figure it out, but he did not dare to ask.
Looking at the woman in his arms, who seemed to be in extreme discomfort, Gu Zhou began to grow anxious as well.
Qiao Nian opened her eyes slowly, her gaze unfocused. She asked, "Gu Zhou, how long will it take to get home?"
Her voice was no longer as cold as it usually was. Instead, it seemed a shade more alluring than usual.
Gu Zhou's expression darkened. He looked up at Chen Qing. "Pull up the rear view mirror. Turn the volume of the music up to the loudest."
Although Chen Qing didn't know what Gu Zhou meant to do, he still obeyed.
Qiao Nian's face grew redder and redder. Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she tossed and turned restlessly in Gu Zhou's arms.
But to Gu Zhou, Qiao Nian seemed to be trying to seduce him.
He lowered his head and glanced at Qiao Nian. Her face was covered in sweat, and there was a unique fragrance surrounding her. He felt as if he had previously smelled this fragrance somewhere, but at that moment, he couldn't remember where.
Qiao Nian reached out and grabbed his tie, her fingers climbing further up. She loosened his tie and casually tossed it aside, then reached out to unbutton his shirt.
Her hand inadvertently touched his skin. Immediately, she felt a chill. This chill was clearly capable of quenching the overwhelming heat in her body.
Qiao Nian sat up, her fingers sliding under Gu Zhou's shirt, which she had begun to unbutton.
Seeing Qiao Nian's bold actions, Gu Zhou's brow furrowed deeper and deeper. When he saw that they had reached home, he immediately took off his suit jacket, covering Qiao Nian with it without hesitation. Then, he carried her into the villa.
When they arrived at his room, Gu Zhou kicked the door open. He lowered Qiao Nian into the bathtub and turned on the showerhead.
The cold water ran down her head and over her entire body. Qiao Nian shivered once from the cold, and found that she was suddenly a lot more awake.
Although the water was a little cold, soaking in it actually helped to relieve her discomfort.
After a long while, Qiao Nian finally opened her eyes. When she saw Gu Zhou leaning against the bathroom door, she gave a sweet smile.
She leaned weakly against the side of the bathtub, her gaze landing on Gu Zhou's face. "Thank you, Young Master Gu, for saving me."
At Qiao Nian's words, Gu Zhou found himself suddenly recalling how she had touched his chest just now. He said expressionlessly, "There's no need to thank me."
Gu Zhou's gaze fell on Qiao Nian's face. She was completely soaked in water. Her evening gown clung to her body, and her long hair clung to her back. She made a charming picture.
"Do you still want to seek revenge?"
When Qiao Nian heard Gu Zhou's words, she laughed.
How could the enmity between her and the Qiao family be resolved so easily?
Of course, she wanted revenge, but beyond that, she wanted to ruin them.
Qiao Nian naturally wouldn't tell him. Sensing that the heat in her body had dissipated, she looked toward Gu Zhou helplessly. "Young Master Gu, I should be able to get up now."
Gu Zhou walked up to Qiao Nian and bent down to pick her up. She was still soaked.
Qiao Nian obediently wrapped her arms around Gu Zhou's neck.. If she hadn't sealed her acupoints beforehand, she wouldn't have been so physically weak right now.
Prev ChapterNext ChapterReport chapterChapter 52: I'm Not the Antidote!
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Being in such close contact with Gu Zhou, Qiao Nian had to tip her head back to look at his face. He seemed to be the most perfect masterpiece crafted in heaven. His facial features were well-defined, and his eyes were two deep pools. Coupled with his cool, stoic aura, she couldn't help but want to throw herself at him.
At this moment, Qiao Nian felt extremely shallow. She only cared about his looks.
Qiao Nian licked her lips.
At this moment, Gu Zhou let go of her in one swift motion.
"Plop!"
The water in the bathtub splashed across the floor.
Qiao Nian awkwardly sat up straight and coughed twice. Only then did she manage to get rid of the water stuck in her throat. She was much more awake now.
"Gu Zhou!" Qiao Nian leaned against the side of the bathtub, feeling as if she was barely alive. She said unhappily, "Did you need to do that? You're a man, and I'm not ugly. You won't lose out."
Gu Zhou's expression darkened. He looked down commandingly at Qiao Nian and said, "I'm a human being, not the antidote!"
"When a man is in bed, isn't…" Before Qiao Nian finished her sentence, she remembered what had happened five years ago. The light in her eyes dimmed. "Bring me my silver needles."
Weakly, Qiao Nian sank into the bathtub, letting the water run over her face.
Gu Zhou grabbed Qiao Nian's head and pulled her towards the surface. "Are you sure you can do this?"
"Where are the silver needles?" Qiao Nian smiled. "Or are you willing to be the antidote?"
Gu Zhou hesitated for a moment, looking at Qiao Nian suspiciously. "Are you sure you can do it now?"
"Yes." Qiao Nian's voice was just a shade alluring. She lay her head against the side of the bathtub and smiled at Gu Zhou. "They're in the drawer of the dressing table."
Gu Zhou turned around and walked to the dressing table. He pulled open the drawer and saw a wooden box engraved with flowers. When he opened the box, he saw the silver needles.
He was about to enter the bathroom when the door to the room opened.
Gu Zhou looked over coldly, frowning.
Jiang Yue walked in with a pot. When she saw Gu Zhou, her face flushed red uncontrollably. Overcome by shyness, she lowered her gaze.
He seemed to be soaked. His hair was dripping with water. The buttons on his shirt were unbuttoned slightly, and she could just make out the drops of water on his chest.
Jiang Yue lowered her head, trying hard to get her breathing and her state of mind under control. She was afraid that she would not be able to hold back and would throw herself at Gu Zhou.
A trace of ice flashed in Gu Zhou's eyes as he said coldly, "Why are you here?"
Hearing Gu Zhou's cold voice, Jiang Yue bit her lip. After some hesitation, she looked up at Gu Zhou and said apologetically, "I heard from the servants that Second Sister-in-law seemed to be drunk, so I made some hangover stew and brought it over. I didn't expect to disturb you and Second Sister-in-law. I'm really sorry!"
Jiang Yue didn't see Qiao Nian around, so she was trying to sound out where she could be.
"You are disturbing us." Gu Zhou glanced coldly at Jiang Yue, his irritation obvious. "Since you knew you would disturb us, why did you come?"
Just as Jiang Yue was about to reply, a seductive voice came from the bathroom.
"Gu Zhou, have you found it?"
Jiang Yue turned to look towards the bathroom. This voice was different from how Qiao Nian usually spoke.
Could Qiao Nian and Gu Zhou have already…
Jiang Yue turned pale in shock. Her hands trembled, and the bowl of hangover soup slipped from her grip, spilling all over the floor.
"I'm sorry." While speaking, Jiang Yue bent down to pick up the soup bowl.
"Get out." Gu Zhou's expression was frigid as he frowned at Jiang Yue. "I remember explicitly saying that no woman is allowed to enter the second floor."
Jiang Yue bit her lip, tears swirling in her eyes.
Wasn't he afraid of women?
Why did he carry Qiao Nian into the villa?
She had been by his side for so long. Why couldn't he give her just another glance?
Jiang Yue stood up unwillingly and turned to leave, not forgetting to close the door.
Gu Zhou walked to the door and locked it without hesitation, then walked back to the bathroom.
When he stepped into the bathroom, he saw Qiao Nian leaning against the bathtub, looking at him innocently.
Prev ChapterNext ChapterReport chapterChapter 53: I've Gotten Married!
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Her eyes were like those of a nervous little deer, innocently confused. It made one's heart race.
"I've brought you the silver needles." Gu Zhou walked over to Qiao Nian and handed her the silver needles.
Qiao Nian looked up at Gu Zhou, her gaze gradually losing focus. Slowly, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Seeing that Qiao Nian looked a little strange, Gu Zhou began to lift her out of the bathtub. However, he soon discovered that Qiao Nian was burning hot. She seemed to be having a fever.
Gu Zhou hurriedly picked up a towel and wrapped it around Qiao Nian before lifting her up, then carried her to the bed.
Carefully, he placed Qiao Nian on the bed. After some hesitation, he called his attending doctor, Lu Yan.
When Lu Yan walked into the bedroom, he saw that the floor was covered in water. Seeing that Gu Zhou was drenched as well, he almost fell to the ground in shock.
What was going on?
Wasn't Gu Zhou afraid of women?
Was he actually having fun with a woman?
Had they been fooling around in the shower?
Looking towards Gu Zhou, Lu Yan gave him a friendly reminder. "Ah Zhou, you should be wearing a bathrobe."
Gu Zhou frowned slightly, looking at Lu Yan in confusion.
"If you're fooling around in the shower, shouldn't you be wearing a bathrobe?"
As Lu Yan spoke, he pictured Gu Zhou together with a mysterious woman in the bathroom. He couldn't help but smile.
"Ah Zhou, don't tell me you've gotten rid of that young lady?" Lu Yan smiled at Gu Zhou, his eyebrows raised. He said maliciously, "You have to learn to be gentle with the fairer sex…"
Upon hearing Lu Yan's words, Gu Zhou frowned. "What nonsense are you spouting? Come here! Treat her!"
Lu Yan walked to the bed and saw a young lady with a towel wrapped around her. The young lady's hair was wet and she was soaked to the bone. She looked quite like a sleeping beauty from a fairy tale.
Lu Yan looked at the young lady. She looked a little familiar, but he didn't think he had seen her before. After all, no one would forget a good-looking young lady.
"You must have been ramping it up. In the future, you shouldn't make the young lady faint." Lu Yan took out his medicine box and began to examine the patient.
"Put away your dirty thoughts." Gu Zhou sat at the side coldly, looking at Lu Yan with disdain.
"What do you mean by dirty? How can the relationship between a man and a woman be considered dirty? It's clearly called making love!" Lu Yan glanced at Gu Zhou and teased, "I remember in the past, if a young lady happened to brush your hand, you would wash your hands for nearly half an hour. Have you recovered from your phobia of women?"
Upon hearing Lu Yan's words, Gu Zhou recalled the incidents in the past. He really didn't like being touched by women.
However, Qiao Nian was an exception.
"I've gotten married," Gu Zhou said calmly.
When Lu Yan heard this, he was astonished.
He had thought that Gu Zhou would be alone and single for the rest of his life.
He had never expected Gu Zhou to get married before him.
It took him a long time to recover from the shock.
"Did your grandmother force you to get married?" Lu Yan felt that only Grandma Gu had the ability to force Gu Zhou to get married.
"You're spouting quite a bit of nonsense today." Gu Zhou looked up at Lu Yan, frowning.
"By the way, who are you married to?" Lu Yan asked as he finished examining Qiao Nian's health. He began to put her on an IV drip.
"The lady on the bed."
Lu Yan glanced at the young lady on the bed, then looked at Gu Zhou with a sly smile. "Have you fallen for her looks?"
Without waiting for Gu Zhou to reply, Lu Yan continued, "I think you're quite compatible with her. The two of you have quite compatible good looks too!"
Upon hearing Lu Yan's words, Gu Zhou snapped, "When will she wake up?"
"She'll wake up around the second half of the night. By then, her fever should have subsided," Lu Yan said with a serious expression.
"I don't want anyone else to know about what happened today," Gu Zhou said, his face blank.
"Why not? Marriage is a joyous occasion." Lu Yan did not see Gu Zhou's face turn darker and darker, and continued to dance on the fine line between life and death. "If you ask me, I think you should announce your marriage to the public. That way, you can let the outside world know that the Second Young Master Gu is very handsome, and not the ugly wretch he's rumored to be!"
"Do you still remember the way home?"
Hearing Gu Zhou's words, Lu Yan was stunned. It wasn't as if he had a poor sense of direction. How could he not know the way home?
However, in the next moment, Lu Yan realized that Gu Zhou was commanding him to leave.
Prev ChapterNext ChapterReport chapterChapter 54: How Humiliating
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Lu Yan pursed his lips unhappily. He glanced at Gu Zhou, then got up and left reluctantly with his bag. He had wanted to hear more gossip.
After Lu Yan left the room, Gu Zhou walked back to the bed and looked down at the girl lying there.
Perhaps it was because of her fever, but her face was flushed red, and her breathing had grown shallower. She was frowning slightly, as if she were having a nightmare.
After Gu Zhou left the room, he turned and entered the study. Seeing Chen Qing enter, he asked solemnly, "Have you found any information on Qiao Nian?"
"We've already investigated thoroughly!" Chen Qing said with a serious expression. He handed the documents he had been holding to Gu Zhou and stepped to the side. "When Madam was born, the Qiao family sent her to live in the mountains. She was raised by Qiao Shan's younger sister, Qiao Ling.
"When Madam was ten, Qiao Ling got into a car accident, and Madam was sent to live in a nunnery. When she turned seventeen, she got into university, and only then was she sent back to live with the Qiao family."
Gu Zhou's expression darkened a little. Spinning a fountain pen in his hand, he said thoughtfully, "She didn't grow up with the Qiao family. I guess the Qiao family doesn't know everything about her either."
"Madam was sent to a mental hospital because she burned down a school building in university," Chen Qing said solemnly.
"Mental? Do you think she's mentally ill?" Gu Zhou asked in reply.
Chen Qing recalled how magnificent Qiao Nian had been when she dealt with Zheng He. He said earnestly, "No, I don't think so. I believe that the Qiao family is slandering Madam."
Hearing Chen Qing's words, Gu Zhou narrowed his phoenix-like eyes. He recalled the degrading words they had spoken about Qiao Nian when he was at the Qiao family villa. Frustration flashed across his face.
Gu Zhou gripped the documents in his hand tightly. "She can control a snake without breaking a sweat. She's definitely not as simple as an ordinary person. She must have undergone professional training. We have to investigate this matter thoroughly."
Chen Qing drew a sharp breath. Now, he understood why the Second Young Master had chosen not to stand up for Qiao Nian directly when others were bullying her at the banquet.
Now, it seemed that it was already quite fortunate for them that Madam had chosen not to retaliate.
Gu Zhou looked at the documents in his hand. They contained no additional useful information. He looked up at Chen Qing and continued, "Continue your investigation!"
"Yes, sir."
After Chen Qing left, Gu Zhou's gaze fell on the documents. His brow furrowed deeper and deeper.
Was Qiao Nian's marriage into his family a mere coincidence, or did she have other motives?
He didn't know if he should believe Qiao Nian.
The only thing he was certain of right now was that Qiao Nian's medical skills were excellent. She seemed to be truly capable of treating his illness.
But Gu Zhou didn't dare to take the risk. He was afraid that Qiao Nian had been sent here by those people. If his gamble failed, there would be no coming back from that mistake.
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the windows, slanting across the bed.
Qiao Nian opened her eyes dazedly. The sun was a little glaring, and she burrowed under the blankets.
She was so thirsty.
Qiao Nian sat up reluctantly. Just as she was about to get out of bed, she heard a familiar voice.
"You're awake. Are you feeling better?" Sitting on the sofa, Gu Zhou put down the documents in his hand and looked at Qiao Nian intently.
The man's voice was low and slightly rough, and was as pleasant to the ear as ever.
Qiao Nian froze for a moment. Only then did she remember what had happened last night. She seemed to have fallen asleep in the bathtub, but she wasn't aware of anything that had happened from then on.
However, she seemed to remember practically throwing herself at Gu Zhou.
This was simply too humiliating!
Her illustrious reputation had been ruined just like that!
The next time she met Shen Xing, she would never let her off.
Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou suspiciously. Seeing that he was wearing a bathrobe, her brow furrowed deeper and deeper.
"I'm much better." Confusion was written all over Qiao Nian's pretty face. She hesitated, caught in a dilemma over whether to ask Gu Zhou about what had happened last night.
"Qiao Xin gave you a call." Gu Zhou glanced at the phone beside Qiao Nian's pillow.
Qiao Xin had actually dared to call her.. It seemed that Qiao Xin was becoming much bolder.
Prev ChapterNext ChapterReport chapterChapter 55: A Match Made in Heaven
Just as Qiao Nian was thinking about how she should bully Qiao Xin, she heard Gu Zhou speak.
"That friend of mine will be coming over tonight."
Qiao Nian's heart skipped a beat, but her expression remained calm. She tried to control her breathing and nodded.
The truth was finally about to be revealed.
She had finally found that person!
"Gu Zhou." Guessing that Gu Zhou wasn't the kind of person who would take advantage of anyone, Qiao Nian looked at him gratefully. "Thank you for last night."
Gu Zhou did not reply. He walked towards the door with several documents in his hand. When he reached the door, he seemed to remember something and glanced back at Qiao Nian.
"Come down for breakfast after you've washed up."
With that, Gu Zhou left without looking back.
Qiao Nian washed up and went downstairs. From afar, she saw Matriarch Gu sitting on the sofa, making a video call.
When Matriarch Gu heard Qiao Nian's movements, she quickly bid goodbye to the person on the phone and hurriedly hung up the video call.
"Oh, my darling girl, you're finally awake." Matriarch Gu cast her phone aside and stood up to walk over to Qiao Nian. Her heart ached when she saw how pale Qiao Nian's face was. "I heard from Ah Zhou that you had a fever last night. How do you feel now? Are you feeling better?"
"Thank you for your concern, Grandma. I'm already much better." Qiao Nian said obediently, smiling at Matriarch Gu.
Seeing how sweet and obedient Qiao Nian was, Matriarch Gu's heart melted. Holding on to Qiao Nian's hand, she walked towards the dining room. "My darling girl, look at how thin you are. You must eat more good food to nourish your body."
When they arrived at the dining room, Matriarch Gu pulled Qiao Nian to sit down with her, asking about her well-being. "Don't worry too much about what happened last night. That girl, Shen Xing, has already gone to kneel in her ancestral hall. She'll come specially to apologize to you later. Child, you keep everything to yourself. It's not good for your health."
Qiao Nian looked at Matriarch Gu gratefully. "Thank you, Grandma. I'll know what to do in the future."
"That's right. If anyone dares to bully you, bully them back. Don't show any mercy. If anything happens, Grandma will bear the consequences!" Matriarch Gu said heroically.
Smiling, Qiao Nian agreed.
At this moment, Gu Zhou walked in.
"Ah Zhou, my darling girl is still young. Take care of her more in the future. Don't let anyone bully her." Matriarch Gu looked up at Gu Zhou and said meaningfully, "You had better take my words seriously. I'm telling you, if anything happens to my darling child, I will never forgive you."
Gu Zhou gave an indifferent grunt of assent and sat down calmly on the other side.
After breakfast, Qiao Nian prepared to go out to meet Qiao Xin.
Matriarch Gu knew that Qiao Nian was about to leave the house. She pulled Gu Zhou over and said seriously, "Ah Zhou, send Nian Nian off later."
"I'll give her the car keys," Gu Zhou said expressionlessly.
"Are you an idiot?" Matriarch Gu was about to explode with anger. "Nian Nian has already suffered greatly after marrying you. Can't you treat her better?"
Gu Zhou frowned.
"Ah Zhou, let me tell you. I had a dream." Matriarch Gu moved closer to Gu Zhou and whispered into his ear, "I dreamed that after Nian Nian married you, your illness was cured, and she treated Little Qi like her own son. This was a good dream. This means that the two of you are a match made in heaven. You have to treat her well, otherwise…"
Gu Zhou's eyes flickered. He nodded.
When he saw Qiao Nian coming down the stairs with her bag, Gu Zhou stuffed a hand in his pocket and said calmly, "I'll walk you out."
Qiao Nian gave Gu Zhou a surprised look. She wanted to decline, but her gaze accidentally fell on Matriarch Gu, who was gazing at her dotingly. She nodded. "Thank you."
Qiao Nian's sharp eyes noticed that Matriarch Gu seemed to sigh in relief.
Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian walked out side by side. They walked to the garage and Gu Zhou opened the door of the passenger seat of the car in a gentlemanly manner.
Qiao Nian thanked him politely and got into the car. She had just buckled up when she received a text from Qiao Xin.
Qiao Xin: Sister, where are you?
Prev ChapterNext ChapterReport chapterChapter 56: Acting As a Pimp
"Where are you going?" Gu Zhou buckled his seatbelt and asked casually.
"The Blue Coffeehouse. Thank you."
Qiao Nian's phone buzzed again. Seeing that it was a text from Qiao Xin, she quietly turned it off.
Gu Zhou didn't say anything. He began to drive.
Along the way, the two of them didn't interact much. When they arrived, Gu Zhou stopped the car and turned to say to Qiao Nian, "If you need anything, look for me!"
His voice was clear yet mellow, just like a fine wine.
"Thank you." Qiao Nian smiled.
When she stepped into the coffee shop, Qiao Nian could see Qiao Xin sitting by the window from afar.
Qiao Xin was wearing a white dress today. If Qiao Nian recalled correctly, this dress was a limited edition LV product.
When Qiao Xin saw Qiao Nian, she immediately stood up, looking at her worriedly. "Sister, I heard last night that you had fainted. Are you alright?"
Qiao Nian looked at the false smile on Qiao Xin's face. Sneering, she rebuked, "I thought you yearned for me to die sooner!"
"Sister!" Qiao Xin put on a shocked facade, then shook her head hard and said, "Have you been possessed by a demon? How can you say such nonsense?"
At that moment, Qiao Xin seemed to remember something. She took out a branded handbag with an LV tag from a shopping bag. "I bought this specially for you a few days ago."
One who is unaccountably solicitous is usually hiding evil intentions.
What disgusted Qiao Nian the most was that Qiao Xin had given her a fake handbag.
"No, thank you." Qiao Nian looked at Qiao Xin expressionlessly and continued, "I don't like carrying fake handbags."
A wave of awkwardness surged in the air between them. Qiao Xin looked at the handbag on the table. She didn't know whether to take it back or not.
"How… how is this possible?" Qiao Xin stammered. She immediately took the handbag off the table and put it back into the shopping bag. "I'll turn back and demand an explanation from the store later!"
If Qiao Xin hadn't tried to defend herself, Qiao Nian might think that Qiao Xin had really bought the wrong handbag without meaning to, but seeing Qiao Xin's reaction, she knew with certainty that Qiao Xin had intentionally bought a fake handbag.
"Sister, the graduation banquet for the university is taking place today. Would you like to join us? If Sister didn't drop out of school back then, I think you probably would have graduated this year." As Qiao Xin spoke, she began to regain confidence in herself.
She recalled how, during the previous banquet for medical students, Qiao Nian had bribed Teacher Liu and forced him to say that she was a PhD student, just so she could save face.
Recalling this now, it was all Qiao Xin could do to not burst out in laughter.
She had initially wanted Qiao Nian to appear at the graduation banquet with a fake handbag. When that happened, Qiao Nian would once again become a laughing stock.
What a pity that Qiao Nian had immediately identified it as a fake handbag.
Qiao Nian sat there and looked at Qiao Xin, her expression blank. If she wasn't wrong, Qiao Xin had brought this handbag here today so that Qiao Nian, a student who had dropped out of school before completing her degree, would carry a fake handbag to the school's graduation banquet. She clearly wanted Qiao Nian to be humiliated.
Qiao Nian's eyes flashed with disdain. Without hesitation, she refused Qiao Xin's invitation. "I won't go!"
"Sister, Brother Su Yan will be speaking at the banquet today as well. Don't you want to see him?" Qiao Xin tilted her head and looked at Qiao Nian innocently.
Back then, when reading through Qiao Nian's diary, Qiao Xin had realized that Qiao Nian had a crush on Su Yan.
"I heard that the two of you are already a couple. Are you trying to act as a pimp for your boyfriend?" Qiao Nian raised her eyebrow and asked with a smile.
Qiao Xin's expression suddenly changed, but she calmed down just as quickly.
Qiao Nian was indeed from a poor family in the mountains. Her words were so crass.
"Sister, what are you saying?" Qiao Nian smiled lightly and continued, "If other people hear you, they might think that you're unrefined. It'll affect your image."
"Since you're already willing to act as a pimp, why can't others say so?" Smiling, Qiao Nian retorted..
Prev ChapterNext ChapterReport chapterChapter 57: Graduation Banquet
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"Sister, you're wrong. Back then, Brother Su Yan was the one who courted me. I'm saying this today because I know you like him, so you can pay him a visit if you like. It's all for your sake…" Qiao Xin retorted, refusing to be outdone.
"If that's the case, then he's just a piece of trash that I didn't want. Is picking up a piece of trash that I've thrown away really worth being happy about?" Qiao Nian picked up the cup of coffee in front of her and took a leisurely sip, then put it back.
Qiao Nian looked at Qiao Xin's face, which was now alternating between shades of green and white. She was in an extraordinarily good mood. Her gaze fell on the jade pendant around Qiao Xin's neck and she said, "By the way, the owner of the pendant will be arriving at the Gu villa tonight. You can come over tonight!"
With that, Qiao Nian stood up and left.
That afternoon, Qiao Nian found out that Qiao Xin had tagged her on her social media account. She opened the app to see a photo of An City University's graduation banquet.
Qiao Xin was worried that others wouldn't be able to tell that this was An City University, so she deliberately tagged the location as well.
There was a line of text added to the photo.
[I am both immensely honored and incredibly proud to be a member of An City University. I hope my alma mater will get better and better!]
Qiao Nian scrolled past the photo and saw that there were a lot of comments. The comment section was full of members of the Qiao family, mostly distant relatives heaping praise on Qiao Xin.
"Qiao Xin is the role model of the Qiao family!"
"Qiao Xin has brought glory to the Qiao family!"
"Qiao Xin is so much more outstanding than her sister. Considering how the two of them were born to the same set of parents, how can the difference between them be so stark?"
"You're right! Qiao Nian never spends her time doing anything serious or worthwhile. She just goes around causing trouble!"
…
Qiao Nian couldn't be bothered to read the rest of the comments. All of them were fawning over Qiao Xin.
Qiao Nian couldn't help but scoff. She closed her social media app and walked to the window, looking out at An CIty University. A joyous atmosphere filled the campus. Her lips curved up slightly.
Outside, An City University was filled with cheers and laughter. She walked out of the medical laboratory and onto the field. Immediately, she saw many students preparing the decorations for the graduation banquet.
Su Yan and Qiao Xin were the most eye-catching people on stage.
Su Yan was one year older than Qiao Xin, and he was in his second year of his Master's degree. He was also the most handsome boy in the university. In fact, the most attractive thing about him was his family background.
The Su family was also a well-known prestigious family in An City. Because of that, many young ladies wanted to marry Su Yan, just so they could soar to the skies.
As Su Yan's girlfriend, Qiao Xin received countless glares filled with envy and jealousy. She smiled as she stood next to Su Yan, chatting with the other classmates.
Qiao Xin's good friend, Wang Nian, walked to her side and asked with a smile, "Xinxin, is that person your sister?"
Qiao Xin looked in the direction Wang Nian was pointing at and saw Qiao Nian in conversation with a young man.
Indeed.
She was right.
On the surface, Qiao Nian had seemed disdainful of the school's activities, but in reality, she was eager to come here.
Qiao Xin smiled. "Hey, it wasn't easy for my sister to get an invitation to the graduation banquet. Let's not disturb her."
Wang Nian instantly understood the meaning behind Qiao Xin's words. Hurriedly, she spoke, making sure that the juniors nearby could hear her words. "Xinxin, you're too kind. Your sister was capable of setting the school building on fire back then. How could you be so gentle with her?"
Qiao Xin smiled and shook her head. She explained, "It was all a misunderstanding. Believe me, it was all a misunderstanding."
Wang Nian's words instantly aroused the curiosity of the others in earshot. Just like that, Wang Nian was pulled away by the crowd, who wanted to hear more about the rumors.
Shen Xing stood there with a sour expression. Whenever she saw Qiao Nian, she would inevitably get angry. She looked at Qiao Xin with dissatisfaction. "Didn't she get expelled from the school? How can she still enter the campus?"
Just as Qiao Xin was about to explain, she heard Shen Xing say, "Senior Su, it's been so many years, but she still likes you. When she found out that you were here, she came running immediately."
When Su Yan heard Shen Xing's words, he felt an inexplicable sense of disgust. He still had to give a speech tonight, as an outstanding alumnus of the undergraduate medicine program.. He didn't want Qiao Nian to disrupt his good mood.
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"Excuse me, I'll go take a look." Su Yan gave Shen Xing a smile.
He was genuinely worried that Qiao Nian would suddenly fall back into her old ways and set fire to another school building. Then, it would be meaningless to have the graduation banquet.
With that, Su Yan walked past the surrounding juniors and strode towards Qiao Nian.
Qiao Xin didn't want to go, but when she recalled how Su Yan had gazed unblinkingly at Qiao Nian the night before, she felt her heart skip a beat in fear. She quickly followed suit.
From afar, Qiao Nian saw Su Yan and Qiao Xin walking towards her. She said to the man next to her, "Do as we've discussed. Go ahead!"
"Yes, Miss Qiao." With that, the man turned and walked out.
At that moment, Su Yan walked up to Qiao Nian, not bothering to hide the disgust in his eyes. Suppressing his anger, he said, "Let's talk."
Qiao Nian surveyed her surroundings. Only after seeing that there was no one else around did she acknowledge that Su Yan was speaking to her. She sneered. "I'm sorry, I have nothing to say to you."
"Qiao Nian, you must know your place!" Su Yan glared at her, frowning.
If Su Yan wasn't worried that Qiao Nian would do something crazy again, he wouldn't have lowered himself to the level of speaking to her.
"You're crazy!" Qiao Nian turned to leave, but she was stopped by Su Yan.
"Five years ago, I already made it clear to you that I don't like you. Why are you still chasing after me?" Su Yan's hands clenched involuntarily into fists. If only he could get the security guards to throw Qiao Nian out of campus.
"Su Yan, what do you mean by that? Are you saying that I'm pursuing you?" Qiao Nian finally understood what Su Yan meant. Sneering, she glanced at him as if he was a pile of shit.
Su Yan met her gaze, his brow involuntarily furrowing.
"I'm really sorry, Su Yan. I'm not interested in human excrement at all." Qiao Nian gave a bright smile.
"Sister, stop." Seeing that the situation was worsening, Qiao Xin hurriedly stepped forward to pull Su Yan back, speaking gently to Qiao Nian as she did so. "I know you're still interested in Brother Su Yan. Brother Su Yan knows that you're rejecting him to hide your feelings, but he's already my boyfriend. Can you please stop having any ideas about him?"
Su Yan had almost lost control of his anger. Fortunately, Qiao Xin had stopped him. Otherwise, if he were to lose his temper here tonight, his name would be trending on the Internet the next day.
Su Yan's gaze softened as he looked at Qiao Xin. Qiao Xin was such a sensible girl.
Qiao Nian glanced at the couple in front of her and smiled. "The two of you are a perfect match for each other. A maggot belongs with human excrement."
With that, Qiao Nian turned and left without hesitation.
Su Yan stood rooted to the ground, his face flushed red with anger. He couldn't think of a way to get back at Qiao Nian.
Excrement?
How dare she say that to him!
She was simply a lunatic!
He had to find a chance to humiliate her.
Qiao Xin could tell that something was wrong with Su Yan's expression. Worried that he would lose his temper, she carefully took hold of his hand and said gently, "Brother Su Yan, don't get too angry. My sister used to be warded in a mental hospital, and there are some problems with her brain. She's different from normal people like us. Seeing as she's my sister, don't blame her anymore, okay?"
Yes, Qiao Nian was a lunatic!
He could not stoop to the level of a lunatic.
At the thought of this, Su Yan's expression grew considerably brighter. He smiled at Qiao Xin and said gently, "I understand. For your sake, I won't be angry with her."
Back when he courted Qiao Xin, Qiao Xin had always been unwilling to be with him because of Qiao Nian.
It hadn't been easy for the two of them to get together, but he had never expected Qiao Nian to disregard the sisterhood between her and Qiao Xin.
Qiao Nian was truly an awful person..
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Translator:Atlas StudiosEditor:Atlas Studios
"Brother Su Yan, you're the best. Let's go visit Sister first. I'm a little worried about her," Qiao Xin said gently. Holding on to Su Yan's arm, she walked towards Qiao Nian.
"Sister, when you burned down the school building back then, the principal was furious. He wouldn't let you step foot onto campus. If it weren't for our family name, he likely wouldn't have made an exception for you to come today."
Qiao Xin continued, "The principal doesn't visit the university often, but he will be here today. Brother Su Yan will intercede for you. Perhaps the principal will no longer be angry. He might even allow you to return to school."
The classmates nearby heard Qiao Xin's words clearly.
"I'm so jealous that Senior Su Yan can meet the principal. I've been studying here for so long, but I've never even seen the principal once. I heard that the principal is very busy every day!"
"Yes, yes. I've heard that too. Back then, when the school building was burned down, many netizens were questioning the school's role in the incident. If the principal hadn't taken charge at that critical moment, and if he hadn't whole-heartedly thrown his weight behind the school, we would have lost that battle."
"I heard that the principal is now focusing on his mathematics research, so he rarely makes an appearance here. How can Qiao Nian still have the cheek to show up? What if she angers the principal?"
"Exactly, exactly. We should protest against Qiao Nian's enrollment in An University!"
"You're right. We must stand up to Qiao Nian!"
…
One by one, the surrounding students chimed in. They really liked and respected the principal. To them, the principal was like a god to be worshiped.
Listening to the other students, Su Yan glanced at Qiao Nian. The disgust in his eyes intensified.
Qiao Nian turned to look at Qiao Xin and said expressionlessly, "Can you stop polluting the air around me?"
Qiao Xin: "?"
At this moment, the principal's assistant, Wang Qi, looked toward them. He began walking over.
Su Yan saw Wang Qi and thought that the principal was looking for him. He straightened his clothes and put on a warm smile.
When Wang Qi walked over, Su Yan took a step forward and politely extended his hand to Wang Qi.
Wang Qi gave Su Yan a strange look. Without shaking his hand, he brushed past Su Yan and walked towards Qiao Nian. With a serious expression, he said, "Miss Qiao, you're finally here. The principal has specially instructed me to pick you up."
Qiao Xin looked at Wang Qi in disbelief. She had never expected the principal to instruct his assistant to pick herself up. She smiled at Wang Qi. "Alright, let's head over now."
Qiao Nian looked at Qiao Xin in confusion. She had an appointment with the principal. Could it be that Qiao Xin had an appointment with the principal as well?
Wang Qi turned to look at Qiao Xin, and the smile on his face instantly disappeared. He asked without expression, "This student, who exactly are you?"
Qiao Xin still didn't realize anything odd about the whole affair. She said innocently, "I'm Qiao Xin."
"My apologies, the principal would like to invite Miss Qiao Nian over." Wang Qi smiled ingratiatingly at Qiao Nian. "Miss Qiao, let's go!"
When Wang Qi and Qiao Nian left, Su Yan and Qiao Xin felt as if they had been slapped in the face. They were so embarrassed that they wanted to find a hole to hide in.
Of course, the surrounding classmates who were watching the spectacle were also stunned. They had never expected the principal and assistant to treat Qiao Nian with such respect.
Didn't the principal hate Qiao Nian?
Didn't the principal forbid Qiao Nian from coming to school?
Why was the principal's assistant so respectful towards Qiao Nian?
Shen Xing, who was standing not far away, turned pale. She turned to look toward Qiao Xin. So Qiao Xin had lied to her!
However, when Shen Xing saw Qiao Xin's confused expression, she hesitated. She walked over to Qiao Xin and asked in a low voice, "What's the relationship between Qiao Nian and the principal?"
"I don't know." Qiao Xin shook her head honestly. Suddenly, she recalled Qiao Nian saying that she had received her PhD diploma.
Oh my god!
Qiao Nian couldn't really have been awarded a doctorate, could she?
How… How was this possible?
Qiao Xin gasped in shock.. A layer of cold sweat formed on her palms.
Prev ChapterNext ChapterReport chapterChapter 60: Stuck Out Like a Sore Thumb
Su Yan watched as Wang Qi and Qiao Nian left. His brow furrowed deeply. He pressed his lips together, remaining quiet.
Qiao Xin, who was standing beside Su Yan, carefully tugged at his sleeve. She said gently, "Su Yan, let's go to the lecture hall!"
Su Yan recalled how embarrassed he had been just now and yearned to find a place to hide. He agreed easily. "Okay, let's go!"
After Su Yan and Qiao Xin left, the other students followed suit.
Shen Xing was livid. She followed Su Yan and Qiao Xin, determined to find an opportunity to embarrass Qiao Nian.
Although Su Yan had just embarrassed himself, many of his classmates still wanted to get in his good books. They wanted to join the Su family's company in the future.
A classmate stepped forward with a smile and said ingratiatingly, "Senior Su Yan, since five years ago, everyone knows that you've been taking good care of Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian likes you too. I guess the principal is looking for Qiao Nian this time because of you. Perhaps he wanted to give Qiao Nian a warning beforehand, so he asked her to go to the principal's office alone."
As soon as she said this, the onlookers immediately nodded in agreement.
"That's right, that must be it. The principal and his assistant must be afraid that Qiao Nian's mental illness will flare up again. That's why they're so polite to her!"
"Definitely. The principal must be treating Qiao Nian with such gentleness on Senior Su Yan's account. Senior Su Yan, do you want to make your relationship with Qiao Nian clear? Otherwise, the principal might misunderstand you."
…
Su Yan was momentarily stunned.
That was true.
The principal must have treated Qiao Nian so gently because of him. He must have called Qiao Nian to the principal's office alone to warn her.
The principal didn't get his assistant to call Su Yan into his office because he thought Su Yan was preparing his speech.
It seemed that he should take the initiative to speak to the principal about this, lest the principal misunderstand.
Qiao Xin's tense shoulders gradually relaxed. Only then did she realize that she had been wrong.
That was true. Qiao Nian hadn't been to school. How could she have gotten a PhD?
It was even more impossible for her to have anything to do with the principal.
Qiao Xin heaved a sigh of relief. She didn't want Qiao Nian to climb on top of her.
When everyone arrived backstage, they saw that the principal's assistant had arranged for Qiao Nian to sit in the middle of the first row.
Everyone was stunned.
What was going on?
The seat in the middle had always been reserved for the principal. Qiao Nian actually had the guts to sit in the principal's seat without hesitation.
Today, Qiao Nian was wearing a white shirt and jeans. Her hair was tied up high into a bun behind her head, and a few stray hairs fell on either side of her face. She looked just like a student.
She was already eye-catching to begin with. Once she sat in the middle, she attracted everyone's attention.
The seats in the second row were filled with famous teachers and formidable top students of An University. All of them were considered to be gifted and favored by heaven.
And Qiao Nian stuck out like a sore thumb.
As the representative of the outstanding graduates that year, Su Yan sat in the third row. He glanced at Su Yan, his expression darkening.
Qiao Nian was sitting in the first row today. She was simply looking for trouble!
Su Yan didn't want to interfere in this matter. However, he thought that the principal might have misunderstood that he had a special relationship with Qiao Nian. What if the principal got angry and took it out on him?
Qiao Xin, who was standing beside Su Yan, also felt embarrassed. She felt that Qiao Nian had truly brought disgrace upon the entire Qiao family.
Qiao Xin thought for a while, then shouted at Qiao Nian, "Qiao Nian!"
When Qiao Nian heard Qiao Xin's voice, she didn't even bother giving her a glance out of kindness.
Qiao Xin had no choice but to raise her voice. "Sister, you're sitting in the wrong seat. Apart from the outstanding graduates, everyone who comes to the banquet brings their own stools.."
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When Qiao Nian heard Qiao Xin's words, she casually picked up the list of guests and performers from the table, and began reading through it.
Qiao Xin was so anxious that she began breaking out in a cold sweat. She was genuinely worried that whatever trouble Qiao Nian caused would implicate Su Yan. She hurriedly said, "Sister, come sit here. I'll give you my seat."
Many university students had come to watch the graduation ceremony. Most of them hadn't brought stools out of convenience, and were all standing around the hall. When they heard Qiao Xin's words, they were furious.
Qiao Nian was a well-known figure in An University. She was a woman who had burned down the school building.
"What right does she have to sit in that seat? Those seats are reserved for outstanding students!"
"That's right, that's right. The school has already given her face by allowing her to enter campus. How dare she take the principal's seat!"
"This is so infuriating. I'm going to get security to chase her out now!"
…
Shen Xing stood silently at the side, the corners of her lips curving up slightly. Her gaze fell on the back of Qiao Nian's head. She had always wanted to seek an opportunity to deal with Qiao Nian, but she had never expected Qiao Nian to have already angered everyone before Shen Xing had done anything.
Shen Xing was the precious daughter of the Shen family. If not for the Shen name, she would not have had the chance to sit in the fifth row.
Shen Xing held her hands up around her mouth, forming a megaphone shape, and yelled at Qiao Nian, "Qiao Nian, your sister is calling for you. We know that there's already something wrong with your brain, but is there something wrong with your ears too?"
Qiao Nian sat quietly. Without even granting Shen Xing a glance, she continued to peruse the program list she was holding.
Shen Xing had always been revered by her peers—she was used to being the center of attention, like the moon among a crowd of stars. She didn't expect Qiao Nian to ignore her completely, and was so furious that she gritted her teeth.
"Qiao Nian, do you know that the first row is reserved for leaders of the school? Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you sit there? What sort of upbringing did you have?" Shen Xing was so angry that her face had turned red.
Qiao Xin instantly sensed the disdainful gazes landing on her. Her expression changed. She was the one who invited Qiao Nian here. Now that Qiao Nian had gotten into trouble, she would be humiliated as well.
Qiao Xin hurriedly stood up and looked toward the other students with an apologetic expression. She said guiltily, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Shen Xing, my sister isn't doing this on purpose. Do stop speaking. I'll talk to her properly. She'll definitely understand!"
"Pft, she can't even be bothered with you." Shen Xing snorted. She said nonchalantly, "Those who don't know the circumstances might think that she's a corpse. There's no reaction from her at all."
At the thought of what had happened in the Shen family villa, Shen Xing yearned to tear Qiao Nian to shreds. "The two of you are truly an interesting pair. The older sister is arrogant beyond belief, while the younger sister steps out to apologize. Are you two putting on a show?"
Qiao Xin's eyes turned red. Feeling wronged, she bit her lip and stood rooted to the ground, glistening tears falling from her face to the ground.
Listening to Shen Xing's words, Su Yan saw that Qiao Xin was crying. He turned to look toward Shen Xing with a threatening expression.
Shen Xing lifted her chin and said nonchalantly, "Don't look at me. I don't know anything. Qiao Xin, you'd better get your sister out of here quickly. Otherwise, she'll continue causing trouble!"
The stage preparations had almost been completed. The graduation ceremony would start in half an hour.
Qiao Nian had initially wanted to ignore Shen Xing, but Shen Xing was simply too noisy. To block out the noise, Qiao Nian had begun thinking about medical prescriptions. She turned to look at Shen Xing, her bright eyes filled with coldness.
"Miss Shen, do you no longer want to graduate successfully?" Qiao Nian enunciated each word clearly. When she thought of how Shen Xing had tried to frame her that night, flames of rage burned in her heart.
Qiao Xin was stunned!
Shen Xing was also stunned!
The onlookers were all astonished.
They were all a little frightened by Qiao Nian's words. However, when they recalled that Qiao Nian was mentally ill, they heaved a sigh of relief.
Qiao Nian was just a patient who had a mental illness. It seemed that Qiao Nian had already begun to imagine herself to be the principal. That was why she was acting so brazenly.
"She's indeed a lunatic!"
"A lunatic like her should just stay in the mental hospital. Why let her out? Does she mean to scare us to death?"
"Everyone, be careful. If she takes out a knife and starts stabbing people, we'll be doomed!"
…
Prev ChapterNext ChapterReport chapterChapter 62: Telling Tales
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The onlookers no longer dared to continue conversing with Qiao Nian. They were truly afraid.
Qiao Nian was mentally ill. It wasn't even a crime for such a patient to kill someone. The only thing they could do as onlookers was protect themselves.
However, their gazes towards Qiao Nian were very unfriendly.
Shen Xing couldn't care less. The Shen family had also invested in An University. If she wanted to graduate from An University, she just had to speak to her grandmother. Even if she were to fail all her subjects, her grandmother would still have a way to change her grades.
"Qiao Nian, if you're crazy, you should just go back to the mental hospital. You set fire to the school building five years ago. Why, do you plan to kill me now?" At this point, Shen Xing pursed her lips in disdain. "Oh my, you're truly scaring me to death!"
When the onlookers heard Shen Xing's words, they all covered their mouths and sniggered.
Everyone knew that Qiao Nian had set fire to the school building five years ago because of Su Yan.
At this moment, Su Yan was sitting at his seat, wearing a white suit. His entire body emitted a gentle aura. Just like the winter sun, anyone near him, or who looked at him, would feel a wave of warmth.
In addition, the Su family was also a rich family in An City. Hence, many girls liked Su Yan and yearned to marry him so that they could have his children.
Qiao Nian was thinking about Gu Zhou's antidote. She was still short of one medicinal herb, and she hadn't thought of what to use. She was thoroughly irritated by Shen Xing's tantrum.
Qiao Nian pursed her red lips impatiently. Beneath her long sweeping eyelashes was a pair of cold eyes. She looked at Shen Xing expressionlessly. "Classmate Shen Xing, congratulations. You no longer have to study here. You can get lost from An University."
Hearing Qiao Nian's words, Shen Xing was only momentarily stunned. Then, she looked at Qiao Nian like Qiao Nian was a big fool, and began laughing out loud.
If she didn't know Qiao Nian's identity, she might really be fooled by Qiao Nian.
The Qiao family wasn't considered rich in An City. Qiao Nian was just an unfavorable daughter of the Qiao family.
She was the precious daughter of the Shen family!
How dare Qiao Nian go head-to-head with her?
Qiao Nian must not want to recover from her illness.
"Qiao Nian, do you think you're the principal?" Shen Xing was laughing so hard that tears were running down her face. Right now, she truly felt that Qiao Nian might be mentally ill. She mocked, "Alright, alright. I'm scared. Is that enough?"
With great effort, Shen Xing managed to stop laughing. She continued, "Who do you think you are? This is not a mental hospital, and you are not the principal either. You are the unfavorable daughter of the Qiao family. You grew up in a poor village in the mountains when you were young. Have you forgotten?"
Qiao Nian stood there expressionlessly. After hearing Shen Xing's words, she looked at her as if she was looking at a clown. She continued, "University of An won't allow you to come in again!"
Like a snake, Qiao Nian glared at Shen Xing coldly, as if Shen Xing was her prey. It was as if she would swallow Shen Xing whole in the next second.
As the saying went, one should never admit defeat, even when on the losing side.
How could Shen Xing admit defeat? She looked up at Qiao Nian and said, "Who the hell do you think you are? You're a lunatic, yet you still want to throw your weight around in An University. You may have been born to good parents, but it's clear that you're simply a beast who's never had any proper upbringing!"
"How dare you!"
Suddenly, a majestic roar resounded from afar.
Everyone looked over and saw Principal Wang An walking over with a cold expression. He looked extremely serious, and he seemed to be exuding a righteous aura.
His hair was combed neatly, and under the gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes were fixed on Shen Xing.
When Wang An appeared, everyone fell silent. No one dared to speak.
When Shen Xing saw Wang An, she grew excited.
This was great.
The principal must have seen how arrogant Qiao Nian was. Qiao Nian would definitely be thrown out of An University by the security guards.
All she needed to do was wait to see a good show unfold for Qiao Nian.
Shen Xing straightened her back and looked at Wang An with a fawning smile. She immediately began telling tales. "Principal, you came at the right time. Qiao Nian is purposefully causing trouble on campus! She even impersonated the principal and took your seat. This is simply outrageous! You must punish her severely.. You must chase her out of the campus."
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Wang An's gaze turned cold, and his expression grew more and more serious. His brow furrowed into a frown. His gaze fell on Shen Xing's face, and then on Qiao Nian.
Qiao Xin, who was standing not far away, heaved a sigh of relief. This was great. She no longer needed to tell on Qiao Nian. She would no longer be implicated in this mess.
What made Qiao Xin the happiest was that Qiao Nian would definitely be expelled by the principal. Qiao Nian would never be able to study in this school ever again.
However, she still had to put on a facade. Qiao Xin pretended to look worriedly at Qiao Nian.
Shen Xing could also sense Wang An's dissatisfaction. Her lips curved up involuntarily. She glanced at Qiao Nian with a smug expression. She could already picture Qiao Nian leaving the campus dejectedly.
"Principal, we've already thought about it. We'll just chase Qiao Nian out…"
"You…" Wang An cut in. He said expressionlessly, "I've heard everything you said. "
"Principal, please speak!" Shen Xing looked at Wang An expectantly, her lips curving up slightly.
"Alright." Wang An looked at Shen Xing with disappointment written all over his face. In the end, he said, "Shen Xing, after tomorrow, pack your things and leave this place. From now on, you are not to set foot in An University ever again!"
The smile on Shen Xing's face gradually disappeared. She looked at Wang An in disbelief. Her lips trembled slightly. "Wh-what?"
Everyone present was stunned.
Who was Shen Xing?
The precious daughter of the Shen family.
The Shen family and An University were deeply affiliated.
No one had expected that the principal would choose to disregard Matriarch Shen's dignity and status.
Qiao Xin was also stunned. Standing in the middle of the chaos, she looked at the principal in disbelief. She had never expected the principal to expel Shen Xing!
Seeing that the principal had nothing more to say, Shen Xing said shakily, "Um, Principal, d-did I say anything wrong?"
Shen Xing's gaze fell on Qiao Nian's face, and she instantly overcame her fear to speak. "Qiao Nian has taken your seat. I'm speaking up for you. Why are you expelling me?"
Wang An looked at Shen Xing with a somber expression. Only then did he say, "That seat was hers to begin with."
The moment his words fell, everyone who was watching the spectacle was stunned.
Qiao Nian was sitting in the middle of the first row.
Qiao Nian's seat was even better than that of the principal!
Shen Xing looked at the principal in shock, then at Qiao Nian. "Qiao Nian? How is that possible? She's just a student who dropped out in the middle of her studies!"
"Qiao Nian is our principal!"
Wang An said expressionlessly.
In an instant, everyone seemed to have been struck by lightning.
Shen Xing's teeth chattered, and her mind went blank.
How was this possible?
This couldn't be happening!
Qiao Nian couldn't be the principal!
Shen Xing looked at Qiao Nian in a daze.
Qiao Xin's heart was racing. Her voice trembled as she spoke. "Principal, m-my sister just came out of the mental hospital. She…"
When everyone heard Qiao Xin's words, they looked at Wang An intently. They wanted to know what was going on.
Wang An stood there with a gentlemanly air. He said to everyone, "Three quarters of the trophies in the collection room on the seventh floor were won by Qiao Nian."
"How can a lunatic be so outstanding?" Shen Xing blurted out!
Everyone gradually turned to look at Shen Xing, frowning. They all felt that Shen Xing should not have said this.
As for the man of the hour, Qiao Nian, she sat there calmly, as if everything happening had nothing to do with her.
"Shen Xing, you can leave now." Wang An looked toward Shen Xing expressionlessly.
Shen Xing glanced at Wang An before retracting her gaze. Her gaze landed on Qiao Nian's face not far away. "Qiao Nian, it was Qiao Nian who burned down the school building. You…"
"Qiao Nian wasn't the one who burned down the school building!" Wang An said coldly, his hands behind his back.
Prev ChapterNext ChapterReport chapterChapter 64: Changing Sides
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"Someone else was responsible for burning down the school building. If it weren't for Principal Qiao's funding of the reconstruction, An University wouldn't be what it is now." When Wang An said this, he looked at Qiao Nian gratefully. "Principal Qiao, thank you!"
At this moment, everyone was stunned. They must have been hallucinating. Otherwise, how could they have heard such fantastical words?
"That's impossible. Qiao Nian was still young back then. How could she have been able to get so many awards?" Shen Xing exclaimed.
Qiao Xin, too, was thinking that there was something wrong with what the principal said. Now she finally understood where the problem lay. She nodded in agreement. "Principal, there's something wrong with my sister's brain. How can she be so capable?"
"Don't you know Weibo?" Wang An frowned, his entire face darkening. "Take a careful look. The names of the people who won those awards are all on the Internet."
Wang An's casual words stunned everyone.
One had to know that in the hearts of everyone in An University, Wang An was a god. Wang An was their last hope of saving An University. They had never thought of Qiao Nian.
Shen Xing could not believe her ears. If she were to be expelled from the university, it would truly be too humiliating. She couldn't help but say, "Aren't you the principal of our school?"
When Wang An heard this, he couldn't help but frown. "I've been telling everyone for a long time that I'm the vice-principal!"
Only then did everyone recall what Wang An had said in the past.
That was true.
Wang An had always said that he was the vice-principal, but in everyone's eyes, Wang An was the principal himself.
No one could accept that Qiao Nian, a student who had almost ruined the school, was actually the principal who had saved the school.
This realization was unacceptable to everyone.
"By the way, during the graduation banquet, I told everyone that I would introduce the principal to all of you." When Wang An thought about how the surprise he had prepared for Qiao Nian had been ruined by Shen Xing and the others, he felt a little uncomfortable. He felt that Qiao Nian had suffered.
Qiao Xin felt a little suffocated. She looked at Qiao Nian. All these years, she had been arrogantly trampling on Qiao Nian, forcing her to be admitted to the mental hospital. She never expected Qiao Nian to be standing on top of her instead.
How could a wild lass from the countryside surpass her?
Qiao Xin's eyes were filled with rage as she looked at Qiao Nian, but she quickly lowered her gaze, pretending not to be ignorant and innocent.
Soon, the onlookers began to stand on Qiao Nian's side.
"Whenever I saw Qiao Nian in the past, I felt that she was very approachable. I didn't expect her to be a top student, much less the principal of our school."
"It's our school's honor to have her as our principal."
"What a joke. Su Yan even said that the principal let Qiao Nian enter the school on account of him. The funniest thing is that Qiao Xin, Qiao Nian's younger sister, doesn't even know that her older sister is so outstanding."
"By the way, do you think Qiao Xin chased Qiao Nian away back then because of Su Yan?"
"It's possible. I heard from others that Qiao Xin is easily jealous. She's a very hypocritical person!"
"Oh my god, Qiao Nian is a big shot. I want to get close to her!"
…
Qiao Xin and Su Yan heard every word of the conversation around them.
Su Yan felt as if he had been slapped in the face. His face was burning with embarrassment, and he felt as if his entire world had collapsed.
At this moment, Qiao Nian stood up slowly.
The onlookers all looked at Qiao Nian. For a moment, no one dared to speak.
Qiao Nian walked over to Wang An and gave a small smile.
This smile stunned all the students.
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Her smile put sunflowers to shame.
When everyone saw Qiao Nian's charming smile, they finally understood what that sentence meant.
According to the ancients, beauty lies in not one's skin, but in one's bones. Qiao Nian's beauty seemed to fulfill both aspects. Her beauty could conquer nations.
In the past, everyone only knew that Qiao Nian was mentally ill. No one cared whether she was pretty. But now that they knew that Qiao Nian was the principal of the school, the hero who saved the university, the way they looked at her changed.
Wang An looked at his assistant and said, "Take Shen Xing with you to settle the withdrawal procedure."
"Yes, sir!"
Shen Xing looked at Wang An in despair. Her gaze gradually moved to Qiao Nian.
Qiao Nian!
It was all Qiao Nian's fault!
She first caused Shen Xing to lose face at Grandma's birthday banquet. Now, she even caused her to be expelled!
Shen Xing pushed away the people next to her and walked quickly to Qiao Nian. With teary eyes, she begged, "Qiao Nian—no, Principal Qiao—I beg you. Please let me off. Just let me off. I'm begging you."
Qiao Nian looked at Shen Xing calmly. She did not speak.
Ever since the birthday banquet, where Shen Xing had been thoroughly humiliated, she had been bent on studying hard to regain a foothold in high society. However, she had never expected that she would offend Qiao Nian.
"Principal Qiao, if I'm expelled, my grandmother will be angered to death. Please, on account that we're both women…"
"Shen Xing, are you kidding me?" Sarcasm dripped from Qiao Nian's words.
If Qiao Nian had not sealed her own acupuncture points during Matriarch Shen's birthday banquet, she would have been humiliated as well.
Fortunately, Gu Zhou had been a gentleman, and did not take advantage of her. Otherwise, she would have truly gotten into trouble.
Qiao Nian leaned over and spoke into Shen Xing's ear in a voice that only the two of them could hear. "When you gave me the lust drug, why didn't you think about what you just said? We are both women, are we not?"
When Shen Xing heard Qiao Nian's words, her legs began to tremble non-stop. She fell to her knees in front of Qiao Nian.
"I know I was in the wrong. I'm begging you, please let me off this once." Shen Xing begged pitifully. If she was really expelled, then she would no longer be able to maintain her position in the Shen family.
Qiao Nian looked down at Shen Xing. She stepped away, about to leave.
However, no matter how Shen Xing begged, it did not change the fact that the security guards were already pulling her away.
Qiao Nian's gaze swept over Qiao Xin again and she said lightly, "Qiao Xin shall be given a demerit!"
Wang An nodded approvingly.
Qiao Xin stood rooted to the ground, her face pale. She swayed on the spot, biting her lower lip, with an unwilling expression on her face. However, she didn't dare to protest.
Su Yan, who was standing beside Qiao Xin, looked at Qiao Nian in astonishment. This time, when he looked at Qiao Nian more closely, he realized that she was breathtakingly beautiful, like a plum blossom in the snow.
At this moment, Su Yan regretted his actions. If he could be together with Qiao Nian, then he…
The graduation banquet continued as planned. By the time it ended, Su Yan still hadn't recovered from the shock that Qiao Nian was the principal.
Seeing that Qiao Nian was about to leave, Su Yan chased after her and blocked her and Wang An's path.
Wang An glared at Su Yan in displeasure. Just as he was about to speak, Qiao Nian spoke.
"Student Su, what can I do for you?"
Student Su?
In the past, she had always addressed him as Brother Su Yan. Now, she was addressing him as Student Su?
Strangely, Su Yan felt a sense of abandonment. However, he calmed down very quickly. He knew that Qiao Nian was playing hard to get in order to seduce him.
Su Yan cleared his throat and smiled in a gentlemanly manner. "Can we talk?"
Qiao Nian glanced at Wang An.
Wang An immediately understood what Qiao Nian meant. He walked away.
Seeing that everyone had left, Su Yan smiled at Qiao Nian. "Do you want to join me at the coffee shop…"
"Student Su, it's getting late. I have other things to do." Qiao Nian looked impatient.
She wanted to return home early. She wanted to know who the father of her dead child was.
She had no time for people like Su Yan.
Prev ChapterNext ChapterReport chapterChapter 66: Playing Hard to Get
Translator:Atlas StudiosEditor:Atlas Studios
Su Yan was momentarily stunned. Previously, he had thought that Qiao Nian was playing hard to get, but now her attitude puzzled him.
"Then let's talk here." Su Yan stuffed a hand in his pocket and glanced at Qiao Nian calmly.
"Sure."
Su Yan looked up at Qiao Nian and said impassively, "You're already the principal of An University. Why didn't you let Li Chun and Shen Yue off? Where did you take them?"
Qiao Nian crossed her arms and glanced at Su Yan coldly. Her face was expressionless. "Student Su, I don't know what you're talking about. I'm searching for them too. If you manage to find them, you can let me know."
Su Yan frowned. "I heard that back then, you targeted them because of me?"
"Is that so? Why didn't I know that?" Qiao Nian raised her eyebrow, smiling.
"You've won so many awards in the past. You're a smart person. Don't you understand that by using such methods to hurt your love rivals, you'll only push me further and further away?" As Su Yan spoke, he pictured Shen Yue confessing her love to him. He would take the opportunity to agree.
Qiao Nian gave a small laugh.
Seeing Qiao Nian laugh, Su Yan thought that she was too embarrassed to confess her feelings to him. He said, "I've already understood your intentions now. If you can be a little more gentle in the future, I think I can consider taking you as my girlfriend."
Qiao Nian was so angry that she couldn't help but laugh. She didn't know how Su Yan had got the nerve to say this. With a trace of mockery in her eyes, she spoke. "Su Yan, did you graduate from the film academy? How can you fabricate such nonsense? You can become a film director with the fictional things you're spouting!"
Su Yan glanced at Qiao Nian in confusion, freezing for a moment. "What?"
"I'm sorry, I've never liked you." With that, Qiao Nian turned to leave.
Qiao Nian's words were like a bolt from the blue, causing Su Yan to be stunned. He couldn't believe his ears and immediately walked up to Qiao Nian, looking flustered. "Didn't everyone in school say that you liked me?"
"Did I say that myself?" Qiao Nian glanced at Su Yan impatiently.
Su Yan was momentarily stunned. It did indeed seem that Qiao Nian had never confessed her feelings to him directly. "If you don't like me, how can there be so many rumors?"
When Qiao Nian heard Su Yan's words, the corners of her lips turned up. Casually, she replied, "I thought you liked me and were embarrassed to confess your love for me. That's why you spread those rumors."
"I didn't." Su Yan frowned.
"Then I don't know who started the rumors, but the funniest thing is that they said I killed someone and that I liked you. I wonder who's filling your ears with all this gossip?" Ignoring Su Yan, who was now in shock, Qiao Nian left.
As for Su Yan, he was dumbfounded. Qiao Nian had indeed said nothing directly to him, and there was no concrete evidence.
Had he been imagining things all these years?
Something was wrong.
It seemed that it was Qiao Xin who told him.
Qiao Xin had said that Qiao Nian liked him.
Qiao Xin also said that Qiao Nian had gone around claiming that she liked him.
Qiao Xin also said that Qiao Nian had killed someone for him.
Su Yan's mind was in a mess. He couldn't believe that Qiao Xin was the one who had told him all this gossip. In his heart, Qiao Xin was the purest and kindest person on earth.
Su Yan thought for a moment and ran over to Qiao Nian. His expression was dark as he said, "You're lying!"
Qiao Nian was practically speechless.. "Alright, if you want to think that every girl likes you, so be it. You're deluding yourself! I don't want to be your girlfriend!"
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With that, Qiao Nian left. She didn't want to waste any more time on Su Yan.
Su Yan stood there alone, looking dejected. As he thought about Qiao Nian's words just now, his mind became more and more jumbled.
"Brother Su Yan." Seeing that Su Yan was standing alone, Qiao Xin walked over. "Shouldn't we leave as well?"
Su Yan heard Qiao Xin's voice and turned to look at her. His eyes met Qiao Xin's innocent face. Immediately, he recalled Qiao Nian's words. He frowned and coughed. "Okay."
Qiao Nian must be lying to him. Qiao Xin was clearly so innocent and lovable. How could she be someone like that?
Su Yan looked up at Qiao Xin and hesitated. "Did you know that your sister…"
Qiao Xin shook her head, looking troubled. "Brother Su Yan, Sister didn't grow up in the Qiao family when she was young. She only came to the Qiao family after she began studying at university. She doesn't go home often either, so…"
At this, Qiao Xin's brow furrowed deeper and deeper. She sighed and continued, "Although I didn't grow up with her, I'm still her blood-related sister, but she…"
As Qiao Xin spoke, she looked more and more aggrieved, and her eyes turned red. Her voice was choked with emotion.
Su Yan instantly understood.
Qiao Nian had never said anything.
Although Qiao Xin had said in front of him that Qiao Nian liked him, Qiao Xin must have heard some rumors from other students. That could be the only reason why Qiao Xin would say those things to him.
He used to think that he knew her very well, but even now, he still didn't know what kind of person Qiao Nian was.
Su Yan's gaze fell on Qiao Xin's face. He had been together with Qiao Xin for years, and he knew her better than anyone else.
Qiao Xin must have mentioned Qiao Nian because Qiao Xin had always felt that being with him was betraying Qiao Nian.
Looking at the dejected Qiao Xin, Su Yan pulled her into his embrace and comforted her gently. "It'll be fine."
Qiao Xin was such a good person. All this time, Qiao Xin had never spoken ill of Qiao Nian in front of him.
"Did your sister really kill…"
Su Yan didn't finish his sentence.
Qiao Xin looked flustered, as though she had just recalled something. She glanced around and said, "Brother Su Yan, let's not bother ourselves with the past. Sister is the principal now, so don't bring up the past."
Su Yan glanced at Qiao Xin's anxious expression and instantly understood.
There was a fine line between genius and insanity.
Perhaps Qiao Nian was an insane genius. She was smart and capable, but she wouldn't be aware if she had done something wrong.
Su Yan glanced at the gentle and charming Qiao Xin in front of him, and lowered his gaze.
Qiao Xin was the best.
He should never have believed the words of a lunatic.
Su Yan pulled Qiao Xin into his embrace again, giving a gentle murmur of assent.
"Brother Su Yan, you're the best." Qiao Xin leaned into Su Yan's embrace and heaved a sigh of relief.
She didn't understand. How could Qiao Nian, that wild lass who had returned from the countryside, be better than her?
She had to knock Qiao Nian off her perch so that everyone would see Qiao Nian's true colors.
Su Yan and Qiao Xin walked out side by side. Before long, they saw Wang An walking towards them.
Wang An walked up to Su Yan and said calmly, "Student Su Yan, the school has selected your PhD thesis to represent An University in a competition. Come with me, we will discuss your thesis."
The gloom in Su Yan's eyes vanished in an instant. He felt that he would be able to achieve glory for the school through his hard work.
"Congratulations, Brother Su Yan." Qiao Xin looked at Su Yan happily, then at Wang An.. After some hesitation, she asked, "Principal, may I come with the two of you?"
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Wang An didn't even bother granting Qiao Xin a look of glance as he said, "Are you sure you'll be able to understand?"
Qiao Xin's face burned with embarrassment.
In the past, whenever Su Yan was working on projects with his mentor, she would often tag along as well. She genuinely hadn't expected to be rejected this time round. Her composure was shaken.
Wang An's gaze lingered on Su Yan's face as he spoke coldly. "Take care of your personal matters. When you're done, come to the Vice Principal's office to look for me."
With that, Wang An left without looking back.
Su Yan's face turned pale. This was the first time he had been reprimanded by Principal Wang, and his expression instantly darkened.
Su Yan turned to look at Qiao Xin, his eyes clouded with irritation. Qiao Xin was too clingy. That must have been why she had grown too big for her britches.
Qiao Xin could tell that Su Yan was displeased, and her small face turned pale in fear. Her tears began to fall uncontrollably.
"Brother Su Yan." Qiao Xin lowered her head and sniffled. "I'm sorry for causing you trouble!"
Qiao Xin's words successfully quelled Su Yan's anger.
"Did someone say something to Principal Wang? Do we have to gain their approval just to graduate?"
Qiao Xin looked up at Su Yan with tears swirling in her eyes, looking utterly pitiful.
Su Yan looked at Qiao Xin's pitiful manner and recalled what she had said. He also recalled how Principal Wang had treated him just now. With those thoughts in mind, he formed a theory.
Qiao Nian must have spoken ill of him in front of Principal Wang. That must have been why Principal Wang had treated him so coldly.
Su Yan clenched his fists in a rage. Gritting his teeth, he growled. "It must be Qiao Nian!"
"It can't be Sister!" Qiao Xin shook her head. More and more tears fell, and her voice was choked with emotion. "Although Sister wants to be with you, she definitely won't do anything to hurt you."
Su Yan snorted coldly when he heard Qiao Xin's words.
He was now completely certain that Qiao Nian was playing hard to get.
Qiao Nian must have seen that he hadn't taken the initiative to chase after her. She must have set up a trap so that he would be forced to chase after her.
Only if he fawned over Qiao Nian, would she allow him to graduate without a hitch!
Qiao Nian was truly despicable!
In order to possess him, she was unscrupulous.
"Qiao Xin, don't cry." Su Yan carefully wiped her tears away and said gently, "I will definitely protect you. I won't let you suffer any grievances."
"Brother Su Yan, you're the best," Qiao Xin said, her eyes red-rimmed.
Su Yan leaned over and gently kissed Qiao Xin's forehead, then straightened up. "Alright, you can leave first. I'll go to the principal's office."
"Okay." Qiao Xin nodded obediently.
Su Yan looked at Qiao Xin's manner and liked her even more. Surely there could be no one who didn't like such a sweet and obedient girl!
After Su Yan left, Qiao Xin silently wiped her tears away. As she gazed coldly at his retreating back, a smug smile appeared on her face.
Tonight, she would know who the owner of the jade pendant was. If that person had a higher status than Su Yan, and he was the type she liked, she could openly snatch him away from Qiao Nian.
At the thought of this, Qiao Xin heaved a sigh of relief. There would come a time when she won against Qiao Nian.
Holding her bag, Qiao Xin walked out of the school elegantly in her ten-centimeter high heels.
Qiao Xin drove directly to the Gu family villa.
She parked her car at the entrance of the Gu family's villa. Looking at the majestic, towering doors of the grand entrance, the thought that she would soon meet the person from five years ago struck her. Her heart began to beat faster and faster.
Qiao Xin had just walked to the door when the butler greeted her..
Prev ChapterNext ChapterReport chapterChapter 69: Confession
Qiao Nian performed acupuncture on Gu Zhou once more. After she put the needles away, she heard a knock on the door.
The butler's voice came from outside the door. "Second Young Master, Second Young Madam, Miss Qiao has arrived."
"Got it," Gu Zhou replied impassively.
After dismissing the butler, Gu Zhou turned to see Qiao Nian packing up the silver needles with her head lowered. He said with a serious expression, "Every time you help me perform acupuncture, I feel much better. When will I be able to fully recover from my illness?"
After Qiao Nian finished packing up her silver needles, she looked up at Gu Zhou and smiled. She said, "Second Young Master Gu, you're too impatient. Treating illnesses takes a long time."
"Let's head out first." Gu Zhou put his arm around Qiao Nian's waist and smiled at her.
When Qiao Nian and Gu Zhou went downstairs, they saw Qiao Xin sitting on the sofa, tapping on her phone.
Qiao Nian's lips curved up in a cold smile. She was curious about what brazen things Qiao Xin would do tonight.
Every time, she would shoot down Qiao Xin, often humiliating her in public. Yet, with the way Qiao Xin acted, it was almost as if Qiao Xin herself wanted to be embarrassed. Qiao Nian didn't understand it at all.
Qiao Nian and Gu Zhou sat side by side, their gazes landing on the pendant on the coffee table.
Under the gentle lighting, the color of the pendant was distinctive and clear. One could tell with a single glance that it was not an ordinary pendant.
Seeing that Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian had come down, Qiao Xin looked at them happily. In an excited manner, she asked, "Sister, Brother-in-law, will we really be able to find the owner of the pendant today?"
Qiao Nian didn't reply.
Qiao Xin continued, "If only we could find him. Then we could find the person who ruined your innocence."
Qiao Nian was slightly stunned. She didn't expect Qiao Xin to say something like that.
The atmosphere in the room grew more and more tense. Qiao Xin didn't seem to sense it at all. She continued, "Brother-in-law, I know it's my fault for only telling you the truth now. I just thought that since the two of you are now husband and wife, there shouldn't be any overnight enmity between you two. You would empathize with Sister, wouldn't you?"
When Qiao Xin had entered the room, she had seen a man with white hair sitting in the next room. She had heard from the servants that this man was the owner of the pendant.
Therefore, she planned to tell Gu Zhou directly that the pendant belonged to Qiao Nian. Firstly, Gu Zhou would definitely no longer be willing to be with Qiao Nian. Secondly, Qiao Nian would soon be forced to be with that old man.
Two birds would be killed with one stone.
As Qiao Xin thought about this, her lips curved up involuntarily. She might be able to marry Gu Zhou in the future.
Qiao Nian didn't expect Qiao Xin to disclose what had happened in the past. She said in astonishment, "You…"
"Sister." Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Nian and said meaningfully, "Husband and wife should be honest with each other. I know you don't dare to say it. This time, I'll tell Brother-in-law for you. I believe Brother-in-law will definitely forgive you."
As Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Nian's panicked expression, her lips began to curve up slightly. She said smugly, "Brother-in-law, you'll forgive Sister, right?"
At this moment, the butler led a young and handsome man with gold-rimmed glasses into the room.
The man's good looks were on par with Gu Zhou's. He had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. He had a tall and broad figure, and was practically a dragon among men.
"Lu Zhu, the owner of the pendant," Gu Zhou said impassively.
Qiao Xin's eyes widened. In disbelief, she stared at the man named Lu Zhu, biting her lip.
She had clearly heard from the butler that the man with the white hair was the owner of the pendant.
Lu Zhu. He was an incredibly well-known celebrity, and the direct heir to the Lu family, a rich family from the upper class.
Lu Zhu's fans often encouraged Lu Zhu to do well in his acting career. If he did not do well, he could only return home to inherit the family business.
There were countless women who wanted to marry Lu Zhu.
She herself was also a fan of Lu Zhu.
At the thought, Qiao Xin's frown grew deeper.
Qiao Xin's eyes grew red. She glared at Qiao Nian in a rage..
Prev ChapterNext ChapterReport chapterChapter 70: The Owner of the Pendant
Translator:Atlas StudiosEditor:Atlas Studios
What had Qiao Nian done to deserve such luck?
Why didn't Gu Zhou and Lu Zhu belong to her?
Qiao Xin clenched her fists tightly, her heart ready to jump out of her mouth.
This wouldn't do. She had to expose Qiao Nian!
At this moment, Qiao Nian's heart was surging with emotions, but her expression was very calm. She stared at Lu Zhu unblinkingly, thinking about what happened five years ago. For some reason, she felt that this man didn't seem to be the owner of the pendant.
"Second Madam Gu." Lu Zhu smiled at Qiao Nian. His voice was as soothing as the spring breeze.
Gu Zhou nodded. "Only for now!"
Lu Zhu was slightly taken aback, but the smile on his face did not falter. He looked at Gu Zhou meaningfully.
Qiao Nian looked at Lu Zhu. The more she looked at him, the more she felt that Lu Zhu looked familiar. After some hesitation, she asked, "Have… have we met before?"
Lu Zhu had been polite to Qiao Nian solely because Qiao Nian was Gu Zhou's wife. However, after Gu Zhou's words, he found that he didn't like Qiao Nian either. He said coldly, "I'm sorry, we aren't acquainted."
Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian with a complicated expression. Qiao Nian had always kept her calm, no matter the situation. This was the first time he had seen panic and disappointment written on her face.
Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Nian, who was staring unblinkingly at Gu Zhou. In her heart, she had already cursed Qiao Nian a hundred times. Her words were dripping with sarcasm as she said, "Sister, you've come here from the countryside. I think you must have seen Mr. Lu Zhu in his movies."
Qiao Xin's words implied that a country bumpkin like Qiao Nian would never have met Mr. Lu Zhu in person.
Hearing Qiao Xin's words, Qiao Nian frowned slightly.
Qiao Xin sensed the coldness of Gu Zhou's gaze and froze for a moment, not knowing what she had said wrong.
But Qiao Xin soon understood.
Qiao Nian was still Gu Zhou's wife, so Gu Zhou was trying to protect his dignity.
That made sense. She had just said that Qiao Nian had been with someone else.
Qiao Nian realized that she had forgotten herself. She smiled and said nothing more.
"Mr. Lu Zhu, is this the pendant you lost?" Changing the subject, Qiao Xin showed Lu Zhu the pendant.
Lu Zhu extended his hand towards Qiao Xin.
Qiao Xin walked over to Lu Zhu in a fawning manner and placed the pendant in his palm.
The drawing room grew eerily quiet.
The silence made both Qiao Nian and Qiao Xin extremely uneasy.
Qiao Xin really didn't want this pendant to belong to Lu Zhu. She wanted the pendant to belong to that old man in his sixties she had seen previously. That would definitely be nauseating for Qiao Nian.
In any case, her goal was now to become Gu Zhou's wife. Otherwise, she could settle for being with Lu Zhu instead. She would ask for his contact information in a while.
Qiao Xin no longer held Su Yan in any regard. To her, the Su family was nothing.
Lu Zhu did not have any romantic scandals. His acting skills were outstanding and he had won many Best Actor awards.
Lu Zhu was truly outstanding. Only someone like her, Qiao Xin, would be worthy of him.
Qiao Nian, who was sitting at the side, stared unblinkingly at Lu Zhu. She felt that Lu Zhu was very familiar. Moreover, she was certain that Lu Zhu wasn't the owner of the pendant.
"Is this pendant yours?" Qiao Xin looked at Lu Zhu uneasily and asked, her voice soft.
Lu Zhu sized up the ring carefully and asked in a casual manner, "Who brought it over?"
Gu Zhou turned to look at Qiao Nian.
Lu Zhu looked at Gu Zhou in disbelief and pursed his lips. Remembering his purpose for coming here, he said, "Do explain. Why do you have my pendant?"
Qiao Nian frowned. She continued to stare unblinkingly at Lu Zhu.
Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief.
How was this possible?
Five years ago, she had arranged for an old man. It was impossible for him to be Lu Zhu!
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