《Mr. CEO, Your Wife is A Hidden BOSS!》 Chapter 1 - 1 Replacement Bride ?1: Recement Bride 1: Recement Bride Editor: As Studios ¡°No, stop¡ª¡± In the darkness, a strong masculine scent wafted toward her. The man pressed Qiao Nian forcefully against the bed. With tears in her eyes, she tried to push the man away, but there was no strength in her body. The sound of tearing fabric could be heard. Qiao Nian¡¯s tears fell uncontrobly. ¡°Lass, what¡¯s your name?¡± The man¡¯s hoarse voice was like a demonic spell. His breath, filled with lust, lingered by her ear. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to tell me. My name is¡­¡± An intense pain pierced through her entire body. Qiao Nian¡¯s breathing hitched, and her eyes flew open. She stared straight ahead. Only then did she realize that she was in the car. So it was just a dream! Once again, she had dreamed about what had happened five years ago. Qiao Nian sat up and breathed heavily, her pale face etched with unease. The events from that night five years ago constantly haunted her. After that night, she got pregnant. She didn¡¯t know who the father of the child was, but after ten months, she suffered a stillbirth. After her mother and sister seized her shares in the Qiao Corporation, they sent her to a mental hospital. The Qiao family butler, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, sensed a movement in the backseat. Seeing that Qiao Nian had awoken, he reminded her with an indifferent expression, ¡°Miss Qiao Nian, we¡¯re reaching the Qiao family¡¯s house soon. Please get ready!¡± Qiao Nian ignored Butler Qiao¡¯s words. She tilted her head and looked out of the car window at the dimming lights outside. An City had grown more prosperous since shest saw it¡ªshe had been in the mental hospital for more than four years. The Qiao family had sent someone to pick her up tonight, and she was well aware of their intentions. Her younger sister, Qiao Xin, was going to marry the Second Young Master of the Gu family, Gu Zhou, who was rumored to be ugly beyond belief, not to mention only have a lifespan of twenty years. But how could her ¡°good mother¡± bear to let Qiao Xin marry such a man? Hence, the Qiao family nned to let Qiao Nian marry into the Gu family on behalf of Qiao Xin. Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes turned cold, as if covered by frost. There was no warmth in her expression. They stopped at the entrance of the Qiao family¡¯s vi. Qiao Nian walked in alone, shrouded in a grim aura. The moment she entered the living room, she saw her mother, Su Xue, sitting on the sofabing Qiao Xin¡¯s hair. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that Qiao Nian, this good-for-nothing, can rece Xin Er to be a living widow in the Gu family. If Xin Er were to marry into that family, I would be heartbroken.¡± Qiao Xin sat there obediently, her long eyshes drooping down. Looking uneasy, she said gently, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t say that about Sister. If it weren¡¯t for her, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯m just worried that Sister won¡¯t agree.¡± The father, Qiao Shan, who was sitting by the side and reading the contract, frowned in disapproval. Thinking of Qiao Nian, he said angrily, ¡°Xin¡¯er, you¡¯re too kind. Have you forgotten how Qiao Nian ndered you five years ago? She has no self-restraint. She got pregnant before marriage and even gave birth to a stillborn child. She should be grateful for the chance to marry into the Gu family! What right does she have to be picky?¡± ¡°Who said I wouldn¡¯t refuse?¡± A cold voice suddenly rang from the door. The three people sitting on the sofa were startled. They nced towards the door. Qiao Nian was still wearing her hospital gown and slippers. She stood in a dark corner, looking like a devil from hell. ¡°Ah!¡± Qiao Xin screamed and threw herself into Su Xue¡¯s arms, shivering in fear. Su Xue patted Qiao Xin¡¯s back andforted her in a low voice. Then she red at Qiao Xin and said angrily, ¡°Qiao Nian, who exactly are you trying to scare? You¡¯re acting like a ghost!¡± Qiao Nian stepped into the house. Qiao Xin came back to her senses and looked up from Su Xue¡¯s arms. She tilted her head and looked towards the door. Seeing Qiao Nian standing there, a bright smile appeared on her face. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re back!¡± Qiao Shan put down the contract in his hand. He strode towards Qiao Nian with anger written all over his face. ¡°If you dare to refuse, I will beat you to death!¡± ¡°You should return the shares to me right now!¡± Qiao Nian looked fearlessly at Qiao Shan, her expression cool. ¡°If you return them to me, I will consider marrying him!¡± Qiao Shan raised his hand in anger, but Qiao Nian dodged the iing p. Frenzied with rage, he bellowed, ¡°How dare you dodge?¡± Qiao Nian stepped over to the sofa and sat down. Under the shocked gazes of Su Xue and Qiao Xin, she leanedzily against the sofa. Seeing Qiao Shan take off his shoes in preparation to hit her, she looked at him indifferently and said, ¡°If you dare to hit me, even the shares won¡¯t help. Any discussion of marriage is off the table!¡± The sole of Qiao Shan¡¯s slipper was only a centimeter away from Qiao Nian¡¯s face, but at her words, he stopped abruptly. It had been more than four years since he hadst seen her. Qiao Nian, this wretched girl, had grown up and now even dared to threaten him! At the beginning, he had wanted to marry Qiao Nian off to someone who was about the same age as him, and use the opportunity to ask for tens of millions of dors for the betrothal gift. Who would have thought that after Qiao Nian lost her virginity, the man was no longer willing to marry her. Five years ago, Qiao Nian caused him to lose tens of millions of dors in betrothal money. Because of her, hispany nearly went bankrupt. Now, Qiao Nian was showing off in front of him and she even wanted to harm Xin Er. This was simply a heinous crime! Qiao Shan¡¯s expression darkened, and his grip on the slippers tightened. ¡°Hit me! If you hit me, I refuse to be married off!¡± Qiao Nian looked up at Qiao Shan with a challenge in her eyes. Seeing that Qiao Shan was about to hit her again, Qiao Xin immediately ran over and entreated her father. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t!¡± Qiao Xin met Qiao Shan¡¯s gaze and shook her head lightly. She turned back to nce at Qiao Nian. For some reason, she felt that Qiao Nian seemed to be telling the truth. She was a little afraid that Qiao Nian would not marry into the Gu family for her. If Qiao Nian didn¡¯t marry into the Gu family, she would have to marry that short-lived wretch! When she thought of this, Qiao Xin could not help but shudder. She was the precious daughter of the Qiao family. Even if she were to marry, she had to marry a man with power and influence. She could never marry a short-lived wretch! Qiao Shan retracted his hand angrily and threw his slipper onto the floor. He red at Qiao Nian, put on his slippers and walked over to the sofa to sit down. Indignantly, he spoke. ¡°Look at your sister. She cares so much about you. Is there anything wrong with you helping her marry someone else?!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± A faint smile appeared on Qiao Nian¡¯s face as she continued, ¡°Xinxin, since you¡¯re so good, you can just marry him yourself. Why do you need me to do it for you?¡± A trace of panic shed across Qiao Xin¡¯s face. She lowered her head and didn¡¯t speak. Su Xue, who was sitting at the side, could no longer stand it. She stepped in front of Qiao Xin and shielded her daughter behind her, saying coldly, ¡°Qiao Nian, we asked you to marry in ce of Xin Er so that your marriage would be settled. Otherwise, who else in An City would dare to ask for your hand in marriage?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s interesting. Did I beg you to find me a husband?¡± Qiao Nian casually tucked her hair behind her ear. Her phoenix-like eyes shed with ice as she spoke, ¡°Oh, right, I wonder who sent me to a man¡¯s bed five years ago, causing my reputation to be ruined? I wonder who sent me to a mental hospital?¡± Chapter 2 - 2 This is what it means to hit someone! ?2: This is what it means to hit someone! 2: This is what it means to hit someone! Editor: As Studios Qiao Xin staggered back. If it weren¡¯t for Su Xue, she would have fallen. She had known that Qiao Nian would not be married off obediently. She was about to be sent to the Gu family; there was not enough time. At the thought, Qiao Xin could not help but tremble in fear. She could not marry a short-lived wretch, absolutely not! Looking at Qiao Xin¡¯s frustrated expression, Su Xue said in a low voice, ¡°Qiao Nian, the past is in the past. You are the elder sister. Can¡¯t you give way to Qiao Xin? She is your little sister!¡± ¡°If you give me the shares, I¡¯ll marry in ce of you. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being impolite!¡± Qiao Nian smiled like a cunning fox. Those shares had been left to her by her grandmother and she would never give them to an outsider. ¡°You beast! You should have been grateful for even being allowed toe home, yet you keep asking for shares!¡± Breathing heavily, Qiao Shan red at Qiao Nian with a dark expression. Had he known how despicable this daughter would be, he would have just thrown her away back then so that he wouldn¡¯t have cause for vexation. ¡°Are you, or are you not, still a member of the Qiao family?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say long ago that I¡¯m no longer a member of the Qiao family?¡± Qiao Nian nced at the clock in the living room. It was already three in the morning. ¡°I remember that the Gu family will pick someone up at six in the morning. There¡¯s not much time left for you!¡± ¡°Sister.¡± Qiao Xin quickly walked to Qiao Nian¡¯s side and tried to hold her hand, but Qiao Nian shook her off, hard. The back of Qiao Xin¡¯s tender hand momentarily turned red, and she held back her tears. ¡°Qiao Nian, how dare you hit the back of Qiao Xin¡¯s hand? Are you tired of living?!¡± Su Xue cried. The sight of Qiao Xin¡¯s red hand made her heart ache, and her eyes grew red-rimmed. ¡°Are you sure that counts as hitting?¡± Qiao Nian raised her eyebrows slightly. Under the astonished gaze of Su Xue, Qiao Nian turned and gave Qiao Xin a hard p. ¡°Pa!¡± The crisp sound of the p resounded throughout the entire room. On Qiao Xin¡¯s face, a clear palm print had appeared. It was so painful that tears welled up in her eyes. She covered her face and sat there, not understanding what she had done wrong. ¡°Qiao Nian!¡± Su Xue cried out. She stared at Qiao Nian in disbelief. All these years, she couldn¡¯t bear to let Qiao Xin suffer even a little. Now, she couldn¡¯t believe that Qiao Nian had gone so far as to p Qiao Xin. ¡°What do you want me to do? Didn¡¯t you say that I hit her? Isn¡¯t this a demonstration? Let me show you what it means to hit her!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s lip curved slightly and she looked coldly at Su Xue, who had raised her hand to p her. ¡°Go on, hit me!¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t do this!¡± Afraid that she would hit Qiao Nian, Qiao Xin hurriedly stopped Su Xue. She knew that Qiao Nian was being serious. Looking at Qiao Nian, she sobbed pitifully. ¡°Sister, I¡¯m willing to give you the shares!¡± ¡°Pa!¡± Without hesitation, Qiao Nian pped the other half of Qiao Xin¡¯s face. Just like that, there were two palm prints on either side of Qiao Xin¡¯s face. The palm prints were extraordinarily symmetrical. ¡°What are you doing!¡± Su Xue hurriedly pulled Qiao Xin behind her. She tried to hit Qiao Nian, but was stopped again by Qiao Xin. She could only re at Qiao Nian angrily. ¡°You beast!¡± ¡°The shares were mine to begin with. You¡¯re just returning them to their original owner. Don¡¯t make yourself seem so wronged. People who don¡¯t know the circumstances might think that I¡¯ve stolen something from you.¡± Qiao Nian stood up slowly and smiled at Qiao Xin. Calmly, she said, ¡°Transfer the shares to my name now. Otherwise, even if you send me to the Gu family, I¡¯ll tell the Gu family about the recement marriage in full detail!¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± Qiao Shan had been suppressing his anger all this while. When he saw Qiao Nian acting so brazenly, he was so furious that he mmed the table and stood up. He stepped in front of Qiao Nian, livid. His hand shook by his side, ready to hit her at any moment. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± Qiao Nian narrowed her eyes. Turning to look at Qiao Xin¡¯s face, her lips curved into a bright smile. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll transfer the shares to you right now!¡± Qiao Shan took out his phone and logged into thepany¡¯s administration. He immediately transferred the shares, which rightfully belonged to Qiao Nian, to her ount. Qiao Nian received the confirmation text and immediately clicked ¡®Agree¡¯. She smiled at Qiao Shan and nodded in satisfaction. Then her gaze fell on Qiao Xin¡¯s face and she said absently, ¡°Qiao Xin, don¡¯t you still owe me something?¡± Qiao Xin was crying her eyes out. When she heard Qiao Nian¡¯s voice, she wiped her tears and looked up at Qiao Nian, asking pitifully, ¡°Sister, what are you saying?¡± Qiao Nian walked up to Qiao Xin. The corner of her eye twitched, and coldness shed in her eyes. She met Qiao Xin¡¯s guilty gaze and asked meaningfully, ¡°Where¡¯s the jade pendant I brought back five years ago?¡± That jade pendant was a token given to her by the man. It was the only thing she could use to find him! Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Nian in shock, tears still running down her face. That jade pendant was of such high quality, and it was so rare. It was even better than the million-yuan jade pendant she had bought. Qiao Xin felt that the owner of that jade pendant was definitely someone rich. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know!¡± How could Qiao Xin return the jade pendant to Qiao Nian? She felt that the jade pendant held even greater value. ¡°Pa!¡± ¡°Pa!¡± Cleanly and skillfully, Qiao Nian gave Qiao Xin two more ps. Seeing that the corner of Qiao Xin¡¯s mouth was bleeding, she raised her eyebrow and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t return it to me in two days, you may no longer be as able-bodied as you are now!¡± Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief. What did she mean by that? Was Qiao Nian going to cripple her? Qiao Xin trembled. She lowered her gaze, let her eyes roll back, and simply pretended to faint. Qiao Nian didn¡¯t bother responding. Instead, she walked upstairs. The door of her original bedroom had already disappeared. Qiao Nian walked to Qiao Xin¡¯s room, which was adjacent to hers, and opened the door. Only then did she realize that the Qiao family had knocked down the wall between the two rooms. Qiao Nian¡¯s room was now a walk-in wardrobe for Qiao Xin. Qiao Nian looked at the dazzling array of jewelry and essories in the wardrobe. The light in her eyes dimmed. Stepping out of the room, she saw Su Xue running over anxiously. Su Xue red at Qiao Nian fiercely and said, ¡°The makeup artist is here. Go downstairs and get your makeup done!¡± Again, Qiao Nian didn¡¯t say anything and simply walked downstairs. Seeing Qiao Nian¡¯s clothes, Su Xue frowned and said, ¡°Change!¡± Su Xue walked to Qiao Xin¡¯s room and threw a piece of clothing, whose tag had yet to be removed, to Qiao Nian. She said coldly, ¡°Change into this!¡± Qiao Nian didn¡¯t want to continue wearing her hospital gown either. After changing into the clothes, she walked downstairs and let the makeup artist help her with her makeup. When everything was ready, the Gu family¡¯s wedding car arrived. Stepping on the red carpet, Qiao Nian was about to get into the wedding car when she saw a child in the boisterous crowd faint to the ground, his face terribly pale. ¡°How inauspicious!¡± Su Xue, who was standing to the side, frowned and said unhappily, ¡°It¡¯s obvious that he¡¯s trying to scam us. Let¡¯s stay away!¡± With that, Su Xue pulled Qiao Shan away. Looking over, Qiao Nian saw that the child¡¯s clothes were made with fabric of a decent quality. The clothes were well tailored and looked like they were custom-made. She walked over in her wedding dress. At this moment, there was no one around the child. No one was willing to go forward to help, for they were afraid that they would get into trouble. Chapter 3 - 3 The First Encounter! ?3: The First Encounter! 3: The First Encounter! Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian walked over to the little boy, squatted down and felt his pulse. When the onlookers saw Qiao Nian checking up on the little boy, they couldn¡¯t help but makements. ¡°Youngdy, you¡¯d better get into the wedding car. It¡¯s really inauspicious for you to encounter such a thing on your wedding day!¡± ¡°Yeah, this little boy is really unlucky. I wonder whose child he is!¡± ¡°If this child¡¯s parents decide to extort money, we¡¯ll be in big trouble!¡± ¡­ Qiao Nian could tell that there was nothing wrong with the little boy¡¯s pulse. Seeing that his face was pale and that he was still covered in cold sweat, she had an idea. Su Xue saw that Qiao Nian was refusing to leave. Thinking that Qiao Nian wanted to run away from the marriage, she immediately walked up to Qiao Nian and said in a low voice, ¡°Hurry up and get in the wedding car. Let me tell you, don¡¯t you dare try any tricks!¡± ¡°Get me a bowl of sugar solution!¡± Qiao Nian held her hand out towards Su Xue. Su Xue red daggers at Qiao Nian, then turned her head to signal the servant next to her. Soon, the maid brought over the sugar solution. Qiao Nian made the little boy drink it, then got someone to call the ambnce. Su Xue gritted her teeth in anger, but she had no choice but to call an ambnce. She even asked the servant to bring out a chair for the little boy to sit on. When she was done, she walked over to Qiao Nian. ¡°Stop ying tricks. Hurry and get into the Gu family¡¯s car!¡± Su Xue was really worried that Qiao Nian would use this opportunity to escape. She didn¡¯t want her darling daughter Qiao Xin to marry a short-lived wretch. Qiao Nian gave Su Xue onest cold nce, before getting into the Gu family¡¯s car. The Gu family¡¯s castle was in the forest nearby. Along the borders of the city, one could already see the castle¡¯s tall spires reaching up towards the sky. It was a spectacr sight to behold. There was even an appealing air of mystery surrounding the castle. However, it was said that no one was willing toe to this ce. Once they stepped into the Gu family¡¯s territory, the Gu family¡¯s bodyguards would convince them to leave. In her wedding dress, Qiao Nian walked alone into the Gu residence. The Gu family servants were momentarily surprised to see her wearing that, but still politely brought her to the drawing room. The Gu family¡¯s drawing room wasvishly furnished, in a style that resembled European architecture. Sunlight filtered through the ss, bathing the entire living room in golden light. ¡°Miss Qiao, please wait for a moment. I¡¯ll go get Second Young Master Gu!¡± Qiao Nian nodded. After the servant left, she sat on the sofa and leaned back elegantly, her chin resting on her left hand. Why would the Gu family want a marriage with the Qiao family? Was it really to get rid of bad luck, as others had said? Qiao Nian thought to herself. If Qiao Xin knew that she came to the Gu family in a wedding dress, but it turned out that the Gu family had no intention of holding a wedding, Qiao Xin might just burst into tears. QIao Nian was the only daughter in the Qiao family who could remain calm andposed in any situation. At this moment, Qiao Nian suddenly sensed something strange behind her. Instinctively, she moved aside, and almost immediately after, she glimpsed a blue creature flying past her. It was a blue-green python. Although it was small, it was extremely fast. The python flicked out its bright red tongue and stared coldly at Qiao Nian. Its body swayed continually, as if it was considering how it should attack and devour her. In a sh, the python shot towards Qiao Nian like an arrow leaving its bow. Qiao Nian sat there calmly. Her right hand reached out and casually took hold of the seven-inch python. Her lips curved up slightly. Smiling, she said, ¡°You¡¯re quite capable, aren¡¯t you? Perfect for medicinal use!¡± ¡°Let go of it!¡± A man¡¯s voice rang out behind her, cold as ice. Qiao Nian turned her head to nce at the man. He was wearing a spotlessly white shirt that entuated his tall figure. The top two buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned, and right above it was a handsome face¡ªso handsome it was nearly suffocating to look at. His facial features were well-defined, with a pair of sharp eyebrows. His eyes were like stars, but they were cold. ¡°Who are you?¡± Qiao Nian raised her eyebrow slightly. She could just about guess his identity. To be able to y with snakes so brazenly in the Gu residence, this man had to be the ugly and short-lived Second Young Master, Gu Zhou! Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian and raised his eyebrow as well, exuding a strong sense of oppressiveness. ¡°You¡¯re not Qiao Xin!¡± His words clearly hinted at danger. Qiao Nian smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m her elder sister, Qiao Nian!¡± Seeing Gu Zhou¡¯s displeased face, Qiao Nian shook the snake in her hand and said, ¡°It was lucky that you spoke fast. Otherwise, I would have turned it into medicine!¡± As Qiao Nian spoke, she let go of the snake in her hand. The blue-green python seemed to nurse a grievance as it silently slithered onto Gu Zhou¡¯s shoulder. It lowered its little head, looking pitiful. Gu Zhou sized Qiao Nian up. She wasn¡¯t tall, but she had rather exquisite features and had a good figure. His gaze finallynded on Qiao Nian¡¯s hands. Her hands weren¡¯t big, and her slender fingers looked like they could be broken just by the wind. He would never have expected such a pair of delicate hands to be able to grab his python. Chapter 4 - 4 Exposed ?4: Exposed 4: Exposed Editor: As Studios Not only that, she even wanted to use his pet to make Chinese medicine! Gu Zhou still found it hard to believe that someone who looked so gentle and harmless could actually be so capable. Gu Zhou sensed that the little snake was unwilling to submit, and was still rearing for a fight. He frowned. In a low voice, hemanded, ¡°Lan1!¡± The blue-green python rubbed its head against Gu Zhou¡¯s chin in a charming manner, attempting to please its master. It seemed extremely obedient. Those who didn¡¯t know better would think that it was a puppet! Gu Zhou reached out and touched the snake¡¯s head. The snake swiftly wrapped around Gu Zhou¡¯s wrist like a bracelet. He walked over to the sofa and looked at Qiao Nian¡¯s wedding dress, his expression indifferent. ¡°The Qiao family has got some nerve. They actually dared to send over a recement bride.¡± Although it was just a casual sentence, Qiao Nian could feel a strong sense of oppressiveness radiating from Gu Zhou. He was constantly giving off a cold aura. If she wasn¡¯t wrong, the snake must have been ordered by Gu Zhou to attack her in the first ce. At this thought, Qiao Nian smiled. ¡°Snake soup is very nutritious. Mr Gu, would you like any?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou fearlessly. She could tell from his cool gaze that he was displeased with her. Qiao Nian watched as Gu Zhou walked over and red at her. For some reason, she suddenly recalled that night five years ago. That strange man looked somewhat simr to the man in front of her. While Qiao Nian was still in a daze, Gu Zhou grabbed Qiao Nian¡¯s chin with one hand and forced her to look at him. In a deep and maic voice, he mocked her, ¡°The Qiao family forced their own daughter to be a living widow just for that little betrothal gift?¡± ¡°My apologies, I¡¯m not going to be a widow.¡± Although Qiao Nian¡¯s mind was in a mess, she still projected a calm facade. Fearlessly, she met Gu Zhou¡¯s unfathomable eyes and said, ¡°Mr Gu, you don¡¯t have to curse yourself. You won¡¯t die, and I won¡¯t be a widow!¡± You won¡¯t die! These words left Gu Zhou stunned for a moment. For as long as he could remember, everyone in his life had been telling him that he wouldn¡¯t live past the age of twenty. While he had relied on various medicinal ingredients to live for five more years, he could feel his life-force constantly trickling away. He was already nearing the end of his life. This youngss actually had the guts to say that he wouldn¡¯t die! She was indeed a naive and bold young woman. Gu Zhou¡¯s lips curved slightly and his eyes lit up. He gently tucked Qiao Nian¡¯s hair behind her ear and asked with interest, ¡°Why, do you think you can save me?¡± The Gu family was well-known all over the world. Everyone in the Gu family had searched for famous doctors but none of them could save him. All the doctors concluded with certainty that he would not live past twenty years old. Qiao Nian could tell that the man no longer bore hostility towards her. She said with a serious expression, ¡°Your face has already shown me your health condition.¡± Observing, listening, questioning, and feeling the patient¡¯s pulse were the four basic methods used in traditional Chinese medicine to diagnose illnesses. Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes darkened. The snake around his hand wound itself around Qiao Nian¡¯s neck. He retracted his hand, looking at her like he would a corpse. Once again, Qiao Nian calmly grabbed the seven-inch snake, which went weak under her grasp. Turning her head to nce at Lan, she brought Lan to eye level and said softly, ¡°Lan, isn¡¯t staying alive a good thing? Do you really want to force me to turn you into a medicinal ingredient? You might be worth five to six million yuan if you live. After you die, you won¡¯t be worth so much anymore. Do you really want to die?¡± With that, Qiao Nian casually flicked Lan onto the sofa at the side. She leaned forward slightly and stepped closer to Gu Zhou, smiling. ¡°I can help you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to help me?¡± Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian with an indecipherable smile on his face. Gazing into her clear eyes, he found himself oddly touched for some reason. If he could live on, he would definitely be willing to do so. But this young woman was clearly too naive. Doctors were not gods. They could not save everyone. Moreover, there existed countless rare illnesses around the world that were simply incurable. Gu Zhou had been ill for a long time, and he knew in his heart that there was no hope left for him. ¡°Are you helping me in order to help the Qiao family?¡± ¡°No.¡± Qiao Nian shook her head and grabbed Gu Zhou¡¯s hand. His hand was extraordinarily cool to the touch. Seeing that he was about to retract his hand, she immediately held on tight and said, ¡°If I can¡¯t stay here, I¡¯ll be sent back to the hospital by my family and stay in confinement.¡± Her hands were very warm, as if they had been basking in the winter sun. It was an intoxicating warmth. This warmth gradually spread from his hands to his entire body. Gu Zhou found himself yearning for more of this warmth. He made sure his expression was cool before he looked up at Qiao Nian and teased, ¡°This patient from the mental hospital is turning out to be quite interesting!¡± Qiao Nian was startled for a moment¡ªshe had not been expecting this man to know who she was. She lifted her gaze to look at Gu Zhou, but he was already looking off to the side coldly. She lowered her gaze and smiled to herself. It seemed that the Second Young Master Gu, rumored to be ruthless, was actually quite kind. However, his body seemed to have really run out of fuel¡­ Lan means mountain mist Chapter 5 - 5 A Relapse! ?5: A Rpse! 5: A Rpse! Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian released Gu Zhou¡¯s wrist. She didn¡¯t see how Gu Zhou was slightly reluctant to part from her fingers. With a serious expression, she said, ¡°The toxins in your body were absorbed from your mother¡¯s womb. It¡¯s already in itste stages.¡± In itste stages? A murderous glint shed in Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes. He retracted his gaze and stood up to leave. ¡°Mr Gu.¡± Qiao Nian didn¡¯t know what Gu Zhou was doing. She immediately stood up. Faced with Gu Zhou¡¯s back, she spoke. ¡°But your illness¡­¡± Before Qiao Nian could finish her sentence, Gu Zhou fell like a puppet with its strings cut, copsing onto the sofa. His eyelids fell, and his breathing quickened. He could no longer control his body. ¡°Gu Zhou!¡± Qiao Nian hurried over and flipped his body over. His face was pale, and it was as if his entire body was covered in ayer of frost. Zhao Qian ran into the room. She had initially wanted to tell Gu Zhou about Little Qi fainting and being sent to the hospital, but she hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zhou¡¯s illness to re up. ¡°Get away!¡± Seeing that the woman was still refusing to leave Gu Zhou¡¯s side, Zhao Qian ran over and reached out to pull Qiao Nian away. When she saw that Qiao Nian was holding a silver needle, she trembled in fear and said in a panic, ¡°What are you doing? Get up! Brother Gu Zhou doesn¡¯t like it when other people touch him!¡± Other than Little Qi and his snake, Lan, Brother Gu Zhou didn¡¯t allow anyone else to touch him. Zhao Qian had grown up with Brother Gu Zhou and they had been friends since childhood, but not even she was allowed to touch Brother Gu Zhou. At the thought of this, Zhao Qian stepped forward and continued trying to pull Qiao Nian away, saying, ¡°Brother Gu Zhou is having a rpse. I¡¯ll call the doctor over in a while. Get out of the way!¡± Qiao Nian was just about to insert the needle. Upon hearing Zhao Qian¡¯s words, annoyance shed across her face. Angrily, she spoke. ¡°Stop holding me back! I¡¯m trying to save him!¡± It was very dangerous for a patient whenever their illness red up. If she could help the patient resolve this danger in time, the patient would recover from his illness very quickly. ¡°Get up! Now!¡± Zhao Qian kept on trying to drag Qiao Nian away. However, Qiao Nian shook off her grip. ncing at Lan, who was resting on the sofa not far away, Qiao Nianmanded, ¡°Lan, keep an eye on her!¡± Just as Zhao Qian was about to step forward again to drag Qiao Nian out of the way, the python shot in front of her, its tongue flickering. She was so shocked that she took two steps back. Lan only obeyed Brother Gu Zhou. Zhao Qian had never thought that Lan would obey this woman¡¯smands as well. She tried to step forward, but Lan opened its jaws, ready to bite. ¡°Ah!¡± Petrified, Zhao Qian stumbled back. She just wanted to test Lan. She hadn¡¯t expected Lan to really attack her. She often prepared food for Lan! Lan¡¯s tongue flickered out. Casually, it moved in front of Zhao Qian, preventing her from getting close to the sofa. Zhao Qian did not dare to move. She could only see the woman holding a silver needle and inserting it into Brother Gu Zhou¡¯s head. Gu Zhou was still conscious. He nced at the needle on his head. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was his imagination, but the pain actually seemed to lessen. Zhao Qian watched in disbelief as Gu Zhou held on to the woman¡¯s clothes. One had to know that Brother Gu Zhou had never been willing to touch other people. Qiao Nian swiftly removed Gu Zhou¡¯s clothes, revealing his muscr chest. She guessed he had been exercising regrly for a long time, for there was a distinct eight-pack below his chest. Gu Zhou¡¯s breathing was very erratic, and his forehead was drenched in cold sweat. It was as if he was in a freezing cer, so cold that he was chilled to the bone. His life-force seemed to be draining away bit by bit. Yet, the ces where Qiao Nian¡¯s silver needles had been inserted seemed to bring some warmth. That slight warmth seemed to inject vitality into him, filling up his cold body, giving him the illusion that he could survive. Qiao Nian lowered her hands slightly. Her hair had fallen to the side of her face, and her long, curly eyshes half-covered her beautiful eyes. With a serious expression, she inserted thest needle and looked up at Gu Zhou, saying in a low voice, ¡°Blink once if you¡¯re conscious.¡± Gu Zhou blinked. Qiao Nian heaved a sigh of relief. She grabbed Gu Zhou¡¯s hand and inserted thest needle skillfully. That would do. Qiao Nian¡¯s forehead was now also covered in cold sweat. Just as she was about to stand up to get a tissue, she found that her left hand was trapped. She looked down and saw that Gu Zhou had grabbed her left hand. Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t push Gu Zhou¡¯s hand away, so she could only sit by the sofa and wait. Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes were closed. Warmth flowed through his veins, warming his entire body¡­ A trace of joy shed in Zhao Qian¡¯s eyes. Could it be that Gu Zhou was now amenable to touching other people? ncing at the time, Qiao Nian began to remove the silver needles from Gu Zhou¡¯s body. When she removed thest needle, she saw that Gu Zhou had regained consciousness. Qiao Nian swiftly retracted her left hand and sat down on the other side of the sofa. She took out a tissue and wiped the sweat off her forehead. ¡°Brother Gu Zhou!¡± Zhao Qian immediately stood up and ran over to the sofa. She reached out to grab Gu Zhou¡¯s hand, but Gu Zhou dodged her grasp. ¡°Lan!¡± Gu Zhou called out coldly. At that moment, a phantom figure glided through the air. With its tongue flickering, Lan moved to sit next to Gu Zhou. It red threateningly at Zhao Qian, intent on forcing her to leave. Chapter 6 - 6 You Wont Die! ?6: You Won¡¯t Die! 6: You Won¡¯t Die! Editor: As Studios ¡°B-Brother Gu Zhou, how are you?¡± With tears swirling in her eyes, Zhao Qian looked pitifully at Gu Zhou. She didn¡¯t understand why Brother Gu Zhou didn¡¯t reject that woman¡¯s touch, but avoided her instead. The more Zhao Qian thought about it, the more she wondered if something was wrong. But with Lan acting as a barrier, she could only stand aside reluctantly. Gu Zhou sat up elegantly, his back straight. He gave Qiao Nian aplicated look, then stood up and walked upstairs. Lan nimbly climbed onto Gu Zhou¡¯s wrist and quietly looped itself around his wrist, forming a bracelet. Gu Zhou returned to his room and looked at himself in the mirror. His shirt was half open. Swiftly, he took off his shirt and walked towards the bathroom. In the past, it would take him more than two hours to recover from his rpses. He had never thought it possible that he could recover within ten minutes. Qiao Nian. Her medical skills were not bad. ¡°You won¡¯t die!¡± He suddenly recalled Qiao Nian¡¯s words. Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes dimmed. Pursing his lips, he walked out of the bathroom while drying his hair. The ringing of the phone interrupted Gu Zhou¡¯s thoughts. He picked up the phone and nced at the caller ID, then held the phone to his ear. ¡°I¡¯ve already called you more than ten times. Why did you only pick up now?¡± Matriarch Gu¡¯s dissatisfied voice rang from the other end of the line. Gu Zhou moved his phone slightly aside and waited for her to finish her sentence before he ced the phone to his ear again. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± He asked nonchntly. ¡°Little Qi¡¯s had an ident. We¡¯re at the Gu hospital now¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll head there right now!¡± Gu Zhou dried his hair with a towel, changed his clothes, and immediately headed out. Lan was lyingzily on the bed. Seeing that Gu Zhou was about to leave, it immediately tried to tag along. ¡°Stay in the house. You are not to go anywhere else!¡± Under Gu Zhou¡¯s cold re, Lan shrank back in fear. It sat obediently on the bed, its little tail hitting the bed in dissatisfaction. In the end, ity down unwillingly on the bed. Gu Zhou walked back to the living room and saw Qiao Nian sitting on the sofa, tapping on her mobile phone. Seeing that the butler had just brought tea over for her, he ordered, ¡°Prepare a guest room for Miss Qiao!¡± The butler quickly agreed, and politely saw Gu Zhou out. Gu Zhou stepped out of the house. Zhao Qian, who had been treated as invisible thus far, quickly chased after him. She turned to look at Gu Zhou and, in a low voice, tried tofort him. ¡°Brother Gu Zhou, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just low blood sugar. Little Qi will be fine.¡± Gu Zhou slowed down and turned to look at Zhao Qian, who was smiling at him. His brow furrowed imperceptibly, and he said coldly, ¡°Just low blood sugar?¡± Zhao Qian noticed Gu Zhou¡¯s irritation. She could sense a cold aura emanating from Gu Zhou, and she felt a strange sensation. Looking up at Gu Zhou, she said tearfully, ¡°Brother Gu Zhou, I¡¯m in the wrong. I just didn¡¯t want you to worry about him.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Gu Zhou raised his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes dangerously. His voice was chilling; it made one want to shiver. Zhao Qian¡¯s face had turned pale in fright. By the time she came back to her senses, Gu Zhou had already walked to the entrance of the courtyard. A gust of wind blew past, and she felt a chill run down her spine. Only then did she realize that she was covered in cold sweat. Gu Zhou arrived at the VIP ward of the hospital. At this moment, Matriarch Gu was sitting by the bed. A four-year-old child was lying on the bed. ¡°Grandmother.¡± Gu Zhou strode over to the bed and studied the child, who looked extraordinarily like him. Worry shed in his eyes and he lowered his voice to ask, ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± Matriarch Gu looked at the little boy lying on the bed with aplicated expression. She nced up at Gu Zhou and said in a low voice, ¡°This child knew that you were getting married today and wanted to go with you, so he hid in the back seat of the car. As a result, he fainted from hypoglycemia.¡± ¡°The servants are so useless. They actually let Little Qi run off!¡± Gu Zhou sat down by the bed. Stiffly, he began to straighten the bedding. ¡°Looks like we won¡¯t need them at the Gu residence anymore.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t me them for this.¡± Quickly, Matriarch Gu began to exin. ¡°The servants were all busy today, and I was the one who wanted to take care of him. He told me that he wanted to go to the bathroom, then he ran away without me knowing.¡± Gu Zhou nodded his head, acknowledging her words. ¡°By the way, this is Little Qi¡¯s life savior. You have to thank her properlyter!¡± Matriarch Gu said. She switched on her phone and showed Gu Zhou a video. The woman in the video was wearing a wedding dress, and was slowly feeding little Qi some sugar solution. Looking at the woman, Gu Zhou froze for a moment, then nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± He had never expected Little Qi¡¯s savior to be Qiao Nian. This woman clearly possessed medical skills. Why exactly had shee to the Gu residence? The light in Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes gradually dimmed. The only reason she could help him suppress the toxins in his body was either because of her superb medical skills, or because she was somehow connected with the person who had poisoned him! Gu Zhou was more willing to believe thetter. Chapter 7 - 7 The New Mommy ?7: The New Mommy 7: The New Mommy Editor: As Studios ¡°Daddy!¡± A soft voice interrupted Gu Zhou¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Little Qi.¡± Matriarch Gu looked at him with a face full of emotion. She reached out to touch Little Qi¡¯s chubby little face and said happily, ¡°You¡¯re finally awake. Great-grandma was so anxious!¡± With that, Matriarch Gu even pretended to squeeze out two drops of tears. ¡°Great-grandma, don¡¯t cry!¡± Little Qi said in a childish voice as he struggled to sit up. Seeing this, Old Madam Gu hurriedly pressed down on Little Qi¡¯s shoulders and said with a smile, ¡°Good child, Great-grandma won¡¯t cry anymore!¡± ¡°Why did you go out on your own?¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes were filled with warmth as he asked softly. Every time Little Qi did something wrong, Gu Zhou always wanted to be strict with him, but he simply couldn¡¯t! Upon hearing Gu Zhou¡¯s words, Little Qi shrank back a little. He said softly, ¡°I wanted to see what my new mommy looks like.¡± Gu Zhou looked nkly at Gu Qi. Gu Qi shrank back more and said shyly, ¡°My new mommy is so warm, like an angel. I-I quite like her.¡± He had still been conscious when he fell. In a daze, he saw his new mommy wearing a white wedding gown. Bathed in a holy light, she descended to his side like an angel and even fed him sugar solution. Gu Zhou made an indifferent noise in response. Standing up, he took Matriarch Gu outside and said in a low voice, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t let Little Qi go home yet.¡± Matriarch Gu blinked her eyes in confusion. Puzzled, she looked at Gu Zhou and asked softly, ¡°Why not?¡± Gu Zhou still wasn¡¯t sure of Qiao Nian¡¯s motives foring to the Gu residence. He didn¡¯t want Little Qi to be hurt. If Qiao Nian came to the Gu residence with ill intentions, Little Qi wouldn¡¯t be able to put up a fight. ¡°Grandma, I want to see what kind of person she is and whether she¡¯s suitable to be Little Qi¡¯s mommy,¡± Gu Zhou said impassively, his gaze slightly lowered. He was still thinking about the woman who had climbed into his bed five years ago! ¡°That¡¯s true. You¡¯re really considerate.¡± Matriarch Gu nodded in agreement. Little Qi was a child. If the Qiao family¡¯s second daughter did not treat Little Qi well, or if she hurt him, that would be a problem. ¡°Then you should observe the Qiao family¡¯s second daughter carefully.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Gu Zhou answered calmly. Gu Zhou stayed with Little Qi in the hospital for a while before leaving. On the way back to the Gu residence, he spoke to his secretary Lin Nan, who was sitting in the front passenger seat. ¡°Investigate Qiao Nian¡¯s background.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Lin Nan answered. He made preparations immediately. Gu Zhou sat in the back seat and tilted his head to look out of the window. As he watched the scenery gradually recede, he recalled Qiao Nian¡¯s innocent and exquisite features, and couldn¡¯t help but frown. When he returned home, Gu Zhou saw Zhao Qian standing in the courtyard in a daze. He didn¡¯t even nce at Zhao Qian as he walked into the house. Zhao Qian watched as Brother Gu Zhou walked away from her expressionlessly. She couldn¡¯t help but frown. She had thought that Brother Gu Zhou would be worried about her, and that he would check up on her with a few questions, but he left without a word. Zhao Qian started to panic. She had always thought that she would marry Brother Gu Zhou, but she had never expected him to marry someone else. No, this wouldn¡¯t do. She could not watch Brother Gu Zhou be with another woman, right in front of her. She had to get Brother Gu Zhou back. Zhao Qian¡¯s eyes were filled with panic. Suddenly, Little Qi¡¯s face appeared in her mind. Her lips curved up slightly and she quickly walked out. Little Qi was the most important person to Brother Gu Zhou. If Matriarch Gu was on her side, she believed that the position of Second Young Madam Gu would definitely be hers. With this thought in mind, Zhao Qian quickened her pace. ¡­ Gu Zhou walked back to the drawing room. Seeing that there was no one there, he turned to the butler standing to the side and asked, ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Second Young Madam Gu is resting in the guest room next to yours,¡± the butler said. He hurriedly led the way to Qiao Nian¡¯s room and knocked on the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± An impatient voice rang from the room. Almost immediately, the door opened and Qiao Nian appeared in front of Gu Zhou in a short-sleeved shirt and denim shorts. Her hair was still dripping with water and there were still drops of hot water between her corbones. She was enshrouded in steam. Aware that this was not his ce, the butler left. Gu Zhou gave Qiao Nian a nce-over and walked into the house calmly. He sat down on the sofa by the window and looked out at the garden, his gaze lowered. ¡°How confident are you of removing the toxins in my body?¡± While listening to Gu Zhou¡¯s words, Qiao Nian let her long hair down, inadvertently wetting her shirt. The traces of her underclothes could be seen faintly. Qiao Nian lowered her gaze thoughtfully. After a moment, she said, ¡°You¡¯ve been poisoned too deeply. I¡¯m only 70% sure I can cure you.¡± Only 70%? Gu Zhou¡¯s thin lips curved up in a mocking smile. Chapter 8 - 8 Investigate Qiao Nian! ?8: Investigate Qiao Nian! 8: Investigate Qiao Nian! Editor: As Studios Gu Zhou still remembered the words of the doctors who had treated his illness in the past. They said that his chances of recovery were less than ten percent. Many people asserted that he would not live past twenty, but he had managed to live for five more years through tremendous effort. This woman clearly overestimated her own abilities. She actually said that she had a 70% chance of curing him. In the field of medicine, a 70% chance was already very high! Gu Zhou¡¯s gazended on Qiao Nian¡¯s face and a trace of ice shed in his eyes. Taking his time, he asked, ¡°Seventy percent?¡± Seeing that Gu Zhou didn¡¯t believe her, Qiao Nian crossed her legs and leaned forward slightly. She said, ¡°Did the doctors you sought say that your chances were less than 10%? They¡¯re not exactly wrong. I¡¯m guessing that most of them are doctors of Western medicine!¡± Gu Zhou nced coldly at Qiao Nian and rubbed the jade ring on his finger in a habitual motion, looking as if he was mulling over her words. Qiao Nian was right. Most of the doctors he sought were doctors of Western medicine, and he had never thought of Chinese medicine. After all, modern medical science was advanced. Western medicine could treat his symptoms directly, ording to his condition. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Gu Zhou¡¯s jade ring. The quality of this jade was simr to the jade pendant that the man had given her five years ago. She had to get it back when she returned home. ¡°Actually, even if you found a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, there aren¡¯t many who can treat your illness.¡± Qiao Nian tucked her hair behind her ear and said seriously, ¡°The main focus of my research is toxins.¡± A bright smile appeared on Gu Zhou¡¯s face, concealing the murderous intent in his eyes. It seemed that Qiao Nian was really here to target the Gu family. Gu Zhou left after receiving a call. Qiao Nian walked back to the bathroom and used a hairdryer to dry her hair. When she returned to her room, she saw that she had received a text from Old A. Qiao Nian immediately dialed Old A¡¯s number. The call went through, but before she could speak, Old A¡¯s anxious voice came through the phone. ¡°Nian Nian, what did you do? Why is someone investigating you?¡± Qiao Nian looked out of the window at the garden, basking in the sun. Puzzled, she asked, ¡°Who wants to investigate me?¡± ¡°Someone from the Gu family. H-his name is Gu Zhou!¡± Old A seemed helpless. Letting out a long sigh, he said, ¡°The Gu family has power and influence. But don¡¯t worry, I have ways to help you block their advances!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Just give him the information you found.¡± With that, Qiao Nian hung up on Old A. She was about to leave her room when her phone rang again. ¡°Nian Nian, how have you been?¡± A flirtatious male voice came through the phone. Hearing the man¡¯s voice, Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t help but smile. Her red lips moved slightly as she spoke. ¡°I¡¯m investigating what happened five years ago!¡± At the other end of the call, a man was leaningzily on a chair, one hand supporting his chin. One could tell with just a single look that his casual suit was very expensive. Beneath his light brown short hair was a fair face. His facial features had a sort of feminine beauty, with a straight and defined nose. He looked up, and those beautiful ck eyes were like glittering bright stars. ¡°Nian Nian, I heard that you¡¯re out of the mental hospital. When are you free? Let¡¯s get our marriage certificate!¡± When Qiao Nian heard Mu Cheng¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. Mu Cheng hadn¡¯t changed, and he evidently still loved to joke around. She replied, ¡°I don¡¯t have the time to register our marriage, but I could treat you to a meal.¡± Mu Cheng lowered his gaze, hiding the loneliness in his eyes. He couldn¡¯t help but doubt himself. Was it because he wasn¡¯t sincere enough? Why did Qiao Nian always treat his words as a joke? ¡°Sure, I¡¯m free always. Call me when you¡¯re free.¡± Mu Cheng¡¯s lips curved into a bitter smile. He looked at the information sent over by his subordinate on theputer and said, ¡°You¡¯re not the only one investigating the incident at the Star Hotel five years ago. Gu Zhou is too!¡± Confusion rose in Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. She frowned slightly and thanked Mu Cheng. After exchanging a few pleasantries, she hung up. Gu Zhou was investigating the same incident? Qiao Nian thought of the jade ring in Gu Zhou¡¯s hand. She had a vague notion that the man from five years ago was very likely to be someone Gu Zhou knew. The next time Qiao Nian saw Gu Zhou was when the time came for her to visit her family. He still looked impassive. When they arrived at the Qiao family vi, Qiao Nian and Gu Zhou got out of the car together. When Butler Zhang of the Qiao family saw the couple, he was shocked by the cold aura that enshrouded Gu Zhou. He could not figure out who this man was. ¡°Second Young Madam, shall I go in and inform the family?¡± Butler Zhang said shakily, his legs trembling non-stop. At Butler Zhang¡¯s words, Qiao Nian quickly stopped him and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need; you can leave. We¡¯ll go in directly.¡± Hearing that, Butler Zhang privately heaved a sigh of relief and left quickly. Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze fell on the entire Qiao residence. Although he and Qiao Nian did not hold a wedding, the Gu vi was decorated withnterns and colored banners and looked very festive. However, there was nothing like that in the Qiao vi. Chapter 9 - 9 Wild Man ?9: Wild Man? 9: Wild Man? Editor: As Studios Gu Zhou¡¯s expression darkened and the light in his eyes dimmed. The cold aura around him gradually intensified. The Qiao vi looked as if there was no cause for celebration in their family¡ªas if their daughter had not been married. Qiao Nian saw Gu Zhou¡¯s expression darken. She looked at him in confusion, but said nothing. She had realized that Gu Zhou seemed to be wary of her, although she didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. As the two of them passed by the garden, the servants who saw them all hid away, whispering to each other. They were all very curious about the identity of the man beside Qiao Nian. When they reached the door of the drawing room, Qiao Nian could hear Su Xue¡¯s sarcastic voice from afar. ¡°Fortunately, that little b*tch has been married off. Our family will be peaceful from now on.¡± ¡°Mommy, it can¡¯t be easy for Sister either.¡± Qiao Xin put on an innocent facade again, looking as pure as a white lotus. ¡°Xin Xin, I told you not to be so kind. Have you forgotten how she treated you?¡± Su Xue¡¯s words were full of heartache for her daughter. ¡°She doesn¡¯t treat you as her younger sister at all. You don¡¯t have to think of her as your elder sister either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qiao Shan, who had been silent all this while, put down the contract in his hand. He looked up at Qiao Xin and said meaningfully, ¡°She has nothing to do with our family. I just hope that the Gu family doesn¡¯t find out about her dirty deeds in the past. Otherwise, our family won¡¯t have a good life!¡± ¡°What dirty deeds? What would have made you hate your daughter so much?¡± The sudden cold voice startled the three people in the room. They turned around and were stunned when they saw Gu Zhou. Su Xue looked at the man standing beside Qiao Nian. That man was tall, broad, and handsome, not at all like someone ill. Did Qiao Nian run away from the marriage? Su Xue jumped to her feet and pointed a finger in Qiao Nian¡¯s face, scolding angrily, ¡°B*tch, how dare you run away from the marriage? Even worse, how dare you find a wild man? Let me tell you, if you don¡¯t hurry back to the Gu family, the entire Qiao family will be single-handedly ruined by you!¡± Wild man? Qiao Nian sneered and turned to look at Gu Zhou, who was standing beside her. She was curious how Gu Zhou would react upon being called a wild man. Qiao Xin, who had been sitting next to Su Xue, looked at the man at the door. This man seemed to have royalty in his blood and nobility in his bones. He was 1.85 meters tall, strapping, and handsome¡ªpractically perfect. Whether in terms of temperament or looks, he was clearly a dragon among men. Qiao Xin¡¯s heart slowly blossomed and her lips curved up slightly. She stood up elegantly and looked toward Qiao Nian, who was standing by the door. In a gentle voice, she said, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re already married. How can you still be with other men like you were in the past? Brother-inw will definitely be unhappy if he finds out!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes turned cold. Look at how good the white lotus was with her words. With those few casual words, she told everyone that her sister was a loose woman. Qiao Nian turned to look at Gu Zhou. Seeing the dangerous¡ªbordering on destructive¡ªlook in his eyes, her lips curved up slightly. ¡°Second Young Master Gu has apanied me to visit you today. How has he be the wild man whom you are all specting about?¡± Qiao Nian said lightly. She was enjoying the show, and didn¡¯t mind fanning the mes. Qiao Xin¡¯s pretty face suddenly changed and she looked at the man in shock. Su Xue looked as if she was suffocating. She was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t speak! Qiao Xin and Su Xue had both imagined Second Young Master Gu to be extremely ugly. Even the doctors predicted that he would not live past twenty years old. How could he possibly look like this? Gu Zhou nced at the mother and daughter impassively. His eyes were filled with contempt and coldness, as if he was a god in the skies looking at ants on the ground. Su Xue felt her scalp go numb under his re. She didn¡¯t believe for one moment that this man was Second Young Master Gu. Second Young Master Gu definitely didn¡¯t look like this. Second Young Master Gu was surely paralyzed in bed, relying on others for help every second of the day. Second Young Master Gu was surely a useless person! Qiao Xin bit her lip. This man should have been her husband! Qiao Shan, who had been sitting at the side, did not have much of a reaction. In his view, Second Young Master Gu would have a short life. There was no difference whether he was good-looking or ugly. ncing at Su Xue and Qiao Xin¡¯s shocked faces, he remembered what they had said to Gu Zhou. Qiao Shan snapped, ¡°The two of you just can¡¯t keep your mouths shut! Hurry up and apologize!¡± Even if Second Young Master Gu had a short life, they could not afford to spout nonsense in front of him. It should be known that the Gu family had the power to destroy the Qiao family in mere seconds. Su Xue came back to her senses. A bright smile appeared on her face. She hurriedly ushered Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian in. ¡°Oh my, look at my broken mouth. I simply don¡¯t know how to speak. Don¡¯t mind me, dear son-inw. Come in and sit!¡± ¡°You¡¯re much better at speaking than my wife,¡± Gu Zhou said leisurely, his voice cold. Su Xue almost vomited blood. Wife? This man called Qiao Nian his wife with such ease. Although Qiao Nian didn¡¯t like him calling her that, she was still very happy to hear Gu Zhou make a jab at Su Xue. ¡°No, no, I was just¡­¡± Su Xue¡¯s face grew red. Chapter 10 - 10 Too Noisy! ?10: Too Noisy! 10: Too Noisy! Editor: As Studios ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a ¡®wild man¡¯. Father-inw and Mother-inw, don¡¯t call me ¡®son-inw¡¯ in the future.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s thin lips parted as he spoke, his voice cold. He walked towards the sofa, unconcerned. Qiao Xin looked at Su Xue worriedly. A trace of cunning appeared in her eyes. She stood up and said, ¡°Second Young Master, Mom didn¡¯t mean that. She just¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re all too noisy.¡± Gu Zhou shot a nce at Chen Qing, who was standing behind him. Chen Qing nodded slightly and stepped towards Qiao Xin. Ignoring the shock on Qiao Xin¡¯s face, he gave her a vicious p across the face. The crisp sound of the p reverberated throughout the drawing room. Qiao Shan and Su Xue were both stunned. They looked worriedly at Qiao Xin, but didn¡¯t dare to move, nor show any dissatisfaction with Gu Zhou¡¯s actions. Qiao Xin stood there nkly, blood rushing to her face. This was the first time in her life that she had been hit by a man! Tears rolled down her cheeks, and Qiao Xin began to feel more and more aggrieved. Her eyes were filled with hatred for Qiao Nian, for she simply didn¡¯t dare to hate Gu Zhou. Qiao Nian, who was standing beside Gu Zhou, was also stunned. She had never expected that Gu Zhou would directly instruct his subordinate to hit her. However, this p was really satisfying! Gu Zhou didn¡¯t even bother granting Qiao Xin a nce. He walked to the sofa and sat down without invitation, pulling Qiao Nian to do so as well. He said lightly, ¡°I won¡¯t allow my wife to be criticized by others.¡± Just by sitting there, Gu Zhou exuded such a strong oppressive aura that Qiao Shan and Su Xue did not dare to move one bit. Qiao Nian obediently sat down beside Gu Zhou. She was here as a spectator anyway. Qiao Shan and Su Xue exchanged a look. Although their hearts ached for Qiao Xin, they knew with certainty that if they angered Gu Zhou, the entire Qiao family would be ruined. Thus, neither of them dared to speak up. With eyes like bottomless pools, Gu Zhou nced at the coffee table. A hint of disdain shed in his eyes as he said, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived quite some time ago, yet not even a cup of tea has been prepared. Do Father-inw and Mother-inw object so greatly to our marriage?¡± ¡°We ¨C we ¨C we don¡¯t object!¡± Qiao Shan stammered out. This was the first time he had seen someone with such a powerful presence, and he found himself practically suffocating merely from his aura. Qiao Xin nced at Qiao Shan with teary eyes. Softly, she spoke, trying to ease the predicament. ¡°Brother-inw, it¡¯s a misunderstanding. Mom and Dad¡­¡± ¡°Chen Qing!¡± Gu Zhou called out casually, interrupting Qiao Xin. ¡°Pa!¡± Without hesitation, Chen Qing flung another p at Qiao Xin. There were now two identical hand-prints on each side of Qiao Xin¡¯s face. The corner of Qiao Xin¡¯s mouth had begun to bleed. She tried to seem pitiful, but her swollen face just reminded one of a pig¡¯s head. Seeing that Qiao Xin had been pped again, Su Xue pulled Qiao Xin behind her and gave her a look. Qiao Xin turned pale. She lowered her head, not daring to say another word. Hastily, Qiao Shan ordered the servants to serve tea. He stood beside Gu Zhou and began to fawn over him. ¡°Second Young Master, do stay for lunch before taking your leave!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. It¡¯s too noisy here.¡± Gu Zhou nced at Qiao Xin who was standing not far away, then retracted his gaze. Holding onto Qiao Nian¡¯s hand, he began to y with her fingers, his expression indifferent. ¡°About the bride you sent me. Was she sent to the mental hospital five years ago because of the chaos in her private life?¡± Actually, Gu Zhou didn¡¯t like to touch other people, but Qiao Nian seemed to be an exception. Whenever he touched her, she was always warm and the warmth would flow through his entire body. Gu Zhou looked down at the delicate hand in his and his expression darkened. He just hoped that she wasn¡¯t sent by those people! Qiao Nian wanted to retract her hand, but Gu Zhou was holding on too tightly. She could only resign herself to fate. Hearing his words, Qiao Nian looked up slightly and caught Qiao Shan and Su Xue¡¯s guilty expressions. Qiao Shan rubbed his hands together uneasily. Seeing how intimate Gu Zhou was with Qiao Nian, he knew that Gu Zhou didn¡¯t dislike Qiao Nian. But when he thought of what Gu Zhou had said about the ¡°chaos in her private life¡±, he panicked. What if news of Qiao Nian¡¯s pregnancy got out? When Qiao Shan thought of how Gu Zhou had treated Qiao Xin, he could not help but shiver, his scalp going momentarily numb. He broke out in a cold sweat and swallowed nervously. Meanwhile, Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes glinted. If Second Young Master Gu was aware that Qiao Nian was a loose woman, would he dislike Qiao Nian? Then, would Qiao Xin be the one sitting next to Gu Zhou instead? Qiao Xin pictured herself sitting next to Second Young Master Gu in an expensive dress. The Gu family was so rich, and Second Young Master Gu was neither ugly nor short-lived, unlike what the rumors said. Then she would be the Second Young Madam of the Gu family. Qiao Xin began to say something, but her gaze identally fell on Chen Qing¡¯s face, and she was forcibly reminded of how Chen Qing had pped her. Quickly, she lowered her gaze to hide the hatred in her eyes. She could not speak without thinking. It would be bad if she provoked Second Young Master Gu again. Chapter 11 - 11 Scheming ?11: Scheming 11: Scheming Editor: As Studios Qiao Xin stepped behind Su Xue, gently tugged on Su Xue¡¯s sleeve and gave her a look. Su Xue naturally understood what her daughter meant, but she didn¡¯t expect that her daughter would want to be with Second Young Master Gu. But on second thought, she supposed that it was normal. Second Young Master Gu was very handsome and did not seem to have a short life. This kind of man was very popr with women. Su Xue thought for a while, then said with a smile, ¡°Actually, it was Qiao Nian herself who wanted to rece¡­¡± At Su Xue¡¯s words, Qiao Shan¡¯s expression suddenly changed. He hurriedly interrupted Su Xue and said, ¡°How is that possible? Our Qiao Nian has been chaste and pure since she was young. Second Young Master, don¡¯t think too much.¡± After Qiao Shan spoke, he met Gu Zhou¡¯s half-smiling eyes and quickly added, ¡°There must be a lot of socialites who are jealous of our Qiao Nian, so they want to nder her!¡± Gu Zhou narrowed his phoenix-like eyes and looked significantly at Qiao Shan, who clearly had a guilty conscience. His gaze finally fell on Su Xue¡¯s face and he asked lightly, ¡°Is that so?¡± Although it was just a simple question, his tone was full of disbelief. Qiao Nian turned to look at Gu Zhou. She really wanted to remind him not to grip her hand so tightly. Her hand wasn¡¯t a toy for him to y with; what was he trying to do?! Qiao Shan was not worried about Qiao Nian¡¯s situation at all. The only thing he cared about was the Qiao family. If Second Young Master Gu was dissatisfied with the Qiao family and decided to attack them directly, the Qiao family¡¯s legacy would instantly disappear. ¡°Second Young Master, our Qiao Nian is really a good child. She has remained pure all her life, and has never been in a rtionship!¡± Qiao Shan said with sweat all over his face. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then you guys sent her to the mental hospital on purpose?¡± Gu Zhou raised his eyebrows slightly and crossed his legs, exuding a bone-chilling coldness. In an instant, the temperature of the entire drawing room dropped by several degrees. It was frighteningly, dangerously silent. Cold sweat dripped from Qiao Shan¡¯s forehead onto the ground. He could tell that no matter what he said, Gu Zhou would always have something to say in rebuke. Qiao Shan¡¯s gaze fell on Su Xue and Qiao Xin, who were standing at the side, and displeasure shed in his eyes. It was all the fault of these two women for not shutting up. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been so publicly despised by Gu Zhou. Su Xue¡¯s eyes were fixed on Gu Zhou¡¯s hand, which was holding Qiao Nian¡¯s. She suddenly had a realization. Gu Zhou definitely liked Qiao Nian, that wretched girl. If not, Gu Zhou wouldn¡¯t havee to the Qiao family vi to make things difficult for them. At this realization, Su Xue was so frightened that she broke out in a cold sweat. It was a stroke of luck that she didn¡¯t suggest for Qiao Xin to marry Gu Zhou instead, just now. If she said that, Gu Zhou would definitely target the Qiao family. Su Xue pursed her lips. Hurriedly, she exined, ¡°Second Young Master, you misunderstood. We had no choice but to send Qiao Nian there. She had been gued by nightmares and her health was deteriorating by the day. We sought many doctors, but none of them could help her. Later on, I had no choice but to visit the temple to pray to the deities. An eminent monk in the temple told me that Qiao Nian¡¯s spirit was unstable and she needed to recuperate in a mental hospital.¡± ¡°As her parents, we had no choice but to send her there.¡± Su Xue tried hard to squeeze out a tear and said, ¡°Every year, I have to go to the temple to pray to the deities. I would willingly lose decades of my life if it meant that Qiao Nian could recover sooner. When the time came, we took her out of the mental hospital immediately.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Gu Zhou raised an eyebrow, his face full of suspicion. Qiao Shan¡¯s eyes lit up. He felt that his wife was finally being smart for once. He hurriedly nodded his head and said, ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s right. The monk even said that her spirit was vulnerable. Even if it¡¯s a joyous asion, we can¡¯t have a grand ceremony. The more low-profile it is, the better. Only then can she live longer!¡± Hearing Su Xue and Qiao Shan singing the same tune, Qiao Nian felt a wave of disdain for her parents, but she didn¡¯t let it show on her face. ¡°You don¡¯t have good health. Come with me to see the doctorter.¡± Gu Zhou turned to look at Qiao Nian and spoke seriously. As their gazes met, Qiao Nian looked into his eyes, which held aplicated expression. She had a bad feeling about this, but she nodded in agreement. On the surface, Gu Zhou was reproaching the Qiao family, but in reality, he was also wary of her. Qiao Nian wanted to retract her hand, but she didn¡¯t. In a voice so low that only the two of them would hear, she said, ¡°Let go of me!¡± However, Gu Zhou tightened his grip. This little kitten sure got riled up a lot. There was a hint of a smile in his gaze. It was as if there was a sea of stars in those glittering eyes. For a moment, Qiao Nian lost herself in them. Qiao Xin, who was standing not far away, saw Gu Zhou gazing lovingly at Qiao Nian, and turned green with envy. Her gaze inadvertently fell on the jade ring adorning Gu Zhou¡¯s hand and a bold thought appeared in her mind. Could that jade pendant be Gu Zhou¡¯s? If the jade pendant really belonged to Gu Zhou, Gu Zhou might think that Qiao Xin was the girl from five years ago. Then, wouldn¡¯t she be the Second Young Madam of the Gu family instead? Chapter 12 - 12 Violence ?12: Violence 12: Violence Editor: As Studios At the thought, Qiao Xin silently ran up the stairs to her room. She walked to the safe beside the desk, entered the password, and took out a sandalwood box. She hurriedly opened the box. Inside ity a jade pendant. The color and texture of this jade pendant were identical to the one in Gu Zhou¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Qiao Xin covered her mouth in shock. If this jade pendant did not belong to Gu Zhou, then it was very likely to belong to the other young masters of the Gu family. The young masters of the Gu family were all of the same parentage. Since Gu Zhou was so good-looking, the other young masters of the Gu family definitely wouldn¡¯t be too ugly! As she thought, Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes shone with a peculiar joy. She hurriedly put the jade pendant around her neck. Downstairs. When the servant brought the tea over, Qiao Shan immediately brought a teacup to Gu Zhou and said with a smile, ¡°This tea is from this year¡¯s new harvest. It tastes pretty good. Second Young Master, do try it!¡± For a long time, Gu Zhou did not take the cup from Qiao Shan. Qiao Shan¡¯s hand, which was cradling the teacup, had already turned red from the heat. Still, he did not dare to put the cup down, and could only hope that Gu Zhou would take the cup of tea soon. Gu Zhou reluctantly moved his right hand away from Qiao Nian¡¯s hand and took the teacup. He put it to his nose and sniffed it. It did smell good. Qiao Nian was thinking about when she could find time to ask Qiao Xin for the jade pendant. Now that Qiao Xin had disappeared, she turned to Su Xue and asked, ¡°Mom, where¡¯s Qiao Xin?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± When Su Xue heard Qiao Nian¡¯s voice, her reply instinctively took on a berating tone. As her voice raised in volume, she instantly sensed the coldness in the air. She didn¡¯t even need to look at Gu Zhou to know he was ring at her with a dark expression. Su Xue couldn¡¯t help but shiver. She smiled awkwardly and backtracked, saying, ¡°Qiao Nian, your sister has just gone upstairs. I¡¯ll go get her¡­¡± As soon as Su Xue¡¯s words fell, footsteps came from afar. She looked up and saw Qiao Xining downstairs. ¡°Oh, here she is!¡± Su Xue gestured to Qiao Xin, secretly heaving a sigh of relief. Qiao Xin walked down the stairs step by step with the jade pendant hanging around her neck. There was a smug glint in her eyes. No matter whom in the Gu family the jade pendant belonged to, she would benefit from it. Qiao Nian, who was sitting on the sofa, saw the jade pendant around Qiao Xin¡¯s neck. Her expression instantly turned cold. Her eyes were like ice as she red at Qiao Xin, clenching her fists tightly. Five years ago, she fell into the evil scheme concocted by her mother and sister. That stranger had ignored her pleas and tortured her relentlessly for a night. Four years ago, she was even forced to give birth to a dead child¡­ Those horrible scenes, which she could not bring herself to speak about, began to surface bit by bit, upying her entire mind. Qiao Nian¡¯s breathing grew heavy and she gritted her teeth, hatred filling her entire body. She began to tremble. Being observant, Gu Zhou sensed that something was wrong with Qiao Nian¡¯s expression. He followed her gaze and saw Qiao Xining down the stairs. At the same time, he glimpsed the jade pendant around Qiao Xin¡¯s neck. If Gu Zhou had remembered correctly, Qiao Xin didn¡¯t have a jade pendant on her neck just now. Qiao Nian¡¯s reaction upon seeing her was normal at that time, but now, when Qiao Nian saw the jade pendant, her reaction was a little strange. Qiao Nian stood up coldlyand pulled her hand out of Gu Zhou¡¯s. Seeing Qiao Xin approach, she used all her strength to p Qiao Xin! ¡°Pa!¡± Qiao Nian was so strong that Qiao Xin staggered back and fell onto the sofa. In shock, Qiao Xin could only look at Qiao Nian. She didn¡¯t expect Qiao Nian to hit her in front of outsiders. ¡°Sister¡­¡± Qiao Xin said pitifully. The hatred in Qiao Nian¡¯s heart surged. She stepped quickly over to Qiao Xin and grabbed her hair, forcing Qiao Xin to look at her. ¡°You like this jade pendant, don¡¯t you? Since you like it so much, swallow it!¡± Qiao Nian pulled the jade pendant off Qiao Xin¡¯s neck in one swift motion and forced it down her throat! Qiao Nian knew very well that Qiao Xin was wearing the jade pendant to remind Qiao Nian of how Qiao Nian had been forced to follow her parents¡¯ intentions; how she had been forced to carry the pregnancy to term. Worst of all, how she had suffered a stillbirth in the end. ¡°What are you doing!¡± Su Xue didn¡¯t want to lower herself to Qiao Nian¡¯s level, but seeing Qiao Nian abuse Qiao Xin so viciously, she quickly walked up to pull Qiao Nian away. ¡°Go away!¡± Qiao Nian shook Su Xue off. She red at Qiao Xin and gave her two more ps. Only then did she let go of Qiao Xin. Just like that, Qiao Xin¡¯s thick and beautiful hair thinned considerably. Pieces of her long hair were scattered everywhere on the floor. She fell to the ground and coughed hard twice, dislodging the jade pendant in her throat and spitting it out. Qiao Nian had initially thought that she would be able to maintain herposure, but the moment those humiliating memories were brought to the surface, pain still flooded her heart. She simply could not stay a moment longer. Qiao Nian walked out of the room. Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian¡¯s back as she left. He stood up elegantly and walked over to Qiao Xin in two long strides, asking condescendingly, ¡°Whose is this?¡± Chapter 13 - 13 The Jade Pendant Appears! ?13: The Jade Pendant Appears! 13: The Jade Pendant Appears! Editor: As Studios Qiao Xin heard the voiceing from above her, and looked up. What remained of her light brown hair fell on her shoulders in charming waves. She stared nkly at the man standing in front of her. Gu Zhou stared unblinkingly at the jade pendant in front of Qiao Xin. His expression wasplicated and his voice was frighteningly cold. ¡°Who gave you the jade pendant?¡± Qiao Xin was stunned. She followed Gu Zhou¡¯s line of sight. Could the jade pendant be his? Was the man who had been with Qiao Nian years ago Gu Zhou? What a stroke of luck! If she were to marry Gu Zhou, she would enjoy a life of luxury. She felt that Gu Zhou would definitely look down on Qiao Nian! Qiao Xin looked up at the man in front of her. He was as handsome as an otherworldly spirit. Her lips curved up slightly. She had to make this man be hers. Gradually, Gu Zhou began to lose his patience. His eyes seemed to be filled with ice. He looked at Qiao Xin with a dark expression. ¡°Who gave you the jade pendant?¡± Qiao Xin picked up the jade pendant. Supporting herself on the sofa, she stood up awkwardly, a bright smile appearing on her face. She cradled the jade pendant in her hand and held it out to Gu Zhou, saying, ¡°This was given to me by a very important person!¡± Gu Zhou looked at the jade pendant in her hand. His eyes were filled with rage. This jade pendant had belonged to him. It was the token he had given to that woman! But that girl had never looked for him, and all videos from that night had been deleted. However, heter got someone to investigate and only found out that the girl had died in childbirth. Gu Zhou stared hard at Qiao Xin. He demanded, ¡°Who is that person?¡± Qiao Xin¡¯s hand retreated slightly. She really didn¡¯t expect Gu Zhou to realize that this jade pendant wasn¡¯t hers. She thought for a while and then said, ¡°That person instructed me to personally hand this to that man!¡± Gu Zhou looked significantly at Qiao Xin. No one¡¯s thoughts could escape his eyes. He could tell that Qiao Xin was deliberately hiding something. Could it be that the petite cat-like girl was still alive? She had to be! ¡°Brother-inw, do you know who this jade pendant belongs to?¡± Qiao Xin carefully probed. ¡°It belongs to my friend.¡± Seeing Qiao Xin¡¯s disappointed face, Gu Zhou walked out. Before he found that woman, he would never let anyone know about what happened five years ago, lest someone with ill intentions made use of that information. With those parting words, Gu Zhou made to leave without hesitation. When he thought about how Qiao Xin had swallowed the jade pendant, he felt a wave of disgust. Seeing Gu Zhou turn around and leave, Qiao Xin quickly asked with an innocent air, ¡°Brother-inw, can you take me to see your friend?¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s footsteps didn¡¯t stop at all. He didn¡¯t even nce at Qiao Xin and continued heading towards the doorway. The oppressive aura in the room did not dissipate for a long time. Gu Zhou walked outside. From afar, he saw Qiao Nian standing in front of the rockery. She had a petite figure, and was wearing a white knee-length skirt. When the wind blew, the scattered sunlight reflected off her long hair and skirt, creating a beautiful picture. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Gu Zhou walked up to Qiao Nian and said in a low voice. Qiao Nian took a deep breath and turned to look at Gu Zhou. There was a hint of a smile in her eyes, as if she had not engaged in physical violence mere moments ago. ¡°Okay!¡± On the way back, Gu Zhou stole a nce at Qiao Nian. Thinking of Qiao Nian¡¯s huge reaction upon seeing the jade pendant, he had a vague notion that Qiao Nian might be acquainted with the girl from five years ago. When they arrived at the Gu residence, Gu Zhou remained in the car, unmoving. He said to Qiao Nian, ¡°Head back first. I have other errands to run.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Qiao Nian didn¡¯t say anything else, and got out of the carriage swiftly. After Qiao Nian left, Chen Qing, who had been driving, said excitedly, ¡°Second Master, we¡¯ve finally found¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not her,¡± Gu Zhou said with certainty. His voice was still as cold as ever. ¡°Didn¡¯t she have the token?¡± Chen Qing asked, somewhat unsure. Even though he felt that this woman was a little pretentious, she was still¡­ Gu Zhou adjusted his sleeves and nced at Lin Nan, who was in the passenger seat. He ordered, ¡°Investigate everyone in the Qiao family, especially those who are close to Qiao Nian and Qiao Xin.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Lin Nan answered and began to contact the hacker. At the Gu residence. Qiao Nian satzily on the swing in the garden. She was still a little unsure of Gu Zhou¡¯s attitude. Gu Zhou seemed to react oddly when he saw the jade pendant. Moreover, she had eavesdropped on the conversation between Gu Zhou and Qiao Xin at the living room entrance. Who exactly did that jade pendant belong to? Qiao Nian lowered her gaze. She wanted to see what Qiao Xin was going to do next. The next day. Qiao Nian woke up. Standing in the bedroom, she could see Butler Zhao leading Qiao Xin towards the castle. She froze for a moment, then frowned slightly. Why was Qiao Xin here? Did Gu Zhou ask for her to be brought here? Chapter 14 - 14 Taking Advantage ?14: Taking Advantage 14: Taking Advantage Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian tidied up and walked towards the stairs. Just as she reached the stairs, she saw Lan flying towards Qiao Xin from Gu Zhou¡¯s feet. Qiao Nian stopped in her tracks and looked at Gu Zhou with interest. She was curious as to what Gu Zhou was going to do. ¡°Ah!¡± The moment Lan got close to Qiao Xin, Qiao Xin¡¯s face turned pale and she screamed. ¡°Lan,e back!¡± At Gu Zhou¡¯smand, Lan slithered towards Gu Zhou smugly. Qiao Nian gave Gu Zhou a significant look. So Gu Zhou was testing her and Qiao Xin on purpose. Qiao Nian was curious as to why Gu Zhou was testing them. ¡°Honey, did I disturb you?¡± Gu Zhou stood by the stairs and looked up at Qiao Nian, asking softly. Qiao Nian had a sweet smile on her face. She walked slowly down the stairs in a beige dress, step by step. When she reached Gu Zhou, she said, ¡°Good morning!¡± ¡°I got the servants to prepare breakfast.¡± Gu Zhou raised his arm slightly. Qiao Nian gave Gu Zhou¡¯s arm a strange look. She looked up and met his smiling eyes, then took his arm hesitantly. What exactly did this man mean to do? Was he putting on a show for Qiao Xin? Gu Zhou ignored Qiao Xin altogether and walked towards the dining room with Qiao Nian on his arm. Qiao Nian had never been on good terms with Qiao Xin to begin with, so she didn¡¯t even think about inviting Qiao Xin to have breakfast with them. Qiao Xin looked at the coiled snake resting on Gu Zhou¡¯s leg and couldn¡¯t help but tremble. However, remembering that she intended to get closer to Gu Zhou, she stood up and mustered her courage to follow the couple into the dining room. In the dining hall, Qiao Xin sat down next to Qiao Nian. Looking at the snake from across the table, she quivered in fear. She turned to Qiao Nian and asked in a low voice, ¡°Sister, aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± ¡°Afraid of what?¡± Qiao Nian asked nonchntly. ¡°That snake!¡± Qiao Xin found herself trembling uncontrobly. This morning, when she heard from her mother that someone from the Gu family had arrived to pick her up, she had been overjoyed. If she had known that there would be a python in the Gu family home, she would have refused toe. ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Qiao Nian stared unblinkingly at Qiao Xin, her expression calm. She spoke unhurriedly. ¡°It¡¯s just a snake. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s cute?¡± Qiao Xin: ¡­ Qiao Nian added, ¡°Lan¡¯s worth is much higher than yours. How dare you look down on it!¡± Qiao Xin¡¯s entire face darkened. She was a human! How could she be put on par with a beast? No. Qiao Nian seemed to imply that she was worth even less than a beast! Qiao Xin looked down. Right now, she couldn¡¯t wait to meet the owner of the jade pendant. If it was an old man, she would simply out Qiao Nian as the girl from years ago. If it was Gu Zhou, or a young, handsome and rich friend of Gu Zhou, she would just pretend to be the true owner of the jade pendant! Qiao Xin was getting excited just thinking about it. No matter who the man turned out to be, she would benefit from the situation. If Qiao Nian wanted to step forward when Qiao Xin imed that the pendant was hers, then Gu Zhou would definitely realize that Qiao Nian was not as pure or chaste as she seemed! When that happened, Qiao Nian might even be fed to that snake! Suppressing herughter, Qiao Xin lowered her head further. Gu Zhou, who was sitting directly across from Qiao Nian, had already glimpsed the smug look on Qiao Xin¡¯s face. He frowned. After breakfast, Qiao Xin wiped her mouth with a tissue. She looked up at Gu Zhou, putting on a gentle facade. ¡°Brother-inw, when will that person be arriving?¡± Qiao Nian had been wiping her mouth as well. At Qiao Xin¡¯s words, she paused slightly, then continued wiping her mouth as if nothing were the matter. ¡°He¡¯d just arrived this morning by ne,¡± Gu Zhou said indifferently. Seeing a sh of disappointment in Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes, he continued, ¡°Wait here for a while!¡± With that, Gu Zhou stood up and left. However, Lan didn¡¯t leave. Instead, it slithered to Qiao Nian¡¯s side and clung charmingly onto her wrist, acting like a spoiled child. ¡°Okay, Brother-inw!¡± Qiao Xin answered obediently, looking as pure as a white lotus. Qiao Nian rolled her eyes silently. ¡°Sister! Ah!¡± Just now, Qiao Xin¡¯s attention had all been on Gu Zhou. Shepletely didn¡¯t notice the snake climbing onto Qiao Nian¡¯s wrist. Utterly terrified, she quickly stood up and took two steps back, but she tripped over the chair and fell to the ground. ¡°Ouch.¡± Qiao Nian stood up too, her gaze falling on Qiao Xin¡¯s face. With an unconcerned expression, she asked, ¡°Have you be paralyzed?¡± Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes were filled with tears because of the pain from the fall, but at Qiao Nian¡¯s words, her expression turned to shock. She looked disbelievingly at her sister. Her sister seemed to have be a different person altogether,pared to who she was in the past. Looking into Qiao Nian¡¯s impassive eyes, Qiao Xin forcibly held back her resentment. She stood up and said coldly, ¡°Sorry to disappoint you, sister. Unfortunately, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m indeed a little disappointed,¡± Qiao Nian said indifferently. Her gaze fell on the jade pendant around Qiao Xin¡¯s neck. ¡°Since you¡¯re willing to help me find that man from five years ago, I¡¯ll give you some satisfaction. Want to guess what your life will be if I expose your disgusting acts to the public?¡± Chapter 15 - 15 Taking Advantage ?15: Taking Advantage 15: Taking Advantage Editor: As Studios Hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Qiao Xin looked at her in disbelief. Her voice shook as she said, ¡°You¡­ you would actually take advantage of me?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything.¡± Qiao Nian gently caressed Lan¡¯s head, her voice cold. ¡°You set yourself up to be used by me!¡± ¡°Sister, there may have been a misunderstanding¡­¡± ¡°Misunderstanding?¡± Qiao Nian smiled coldly, her eyes shing with disgust. ¡°If you want to marry into a rich family, you have to pay the price. I just don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll be able to bear it!¡± With that, Qiao Nian left, taking Lan with her. Qiao Xin¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s exquisite clothes, and the diamond-encrusted hair clip in Qiao Nian¡¯s hair. The envy in Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes could not be more obvious. All of this was supposed to belong to her. Qiao Nian stole everything from her! But Qiao Nian¡¯sst sentence haunted her like a nightmare, lingering by her ear. Qiao Xin began to perspire, beads of cold sweat dripping onto the floor. When had Qiao Nian be so formidable? How dare she scheme against Qiao Xin! Qiao Xin¡¯s mind was in a mess as she followed the butler to the guest room. When Butler Zhao came out of the house, she could hear the servants gossiping from afar. ¡°There¡¯s more to Qiao Nian than meets the eye. She bullied her little sister until she cried!¡± ¡°She¡¯s definitely not as straightforward as she seems. I heard that the Qiao family¡¯s Third Young Mistress was supposed to marry into the Gu family, but Qiao Nian snatched the marriage away from Third Young Mistress Qiao. There¡¯s no doubt¡ªshe¡¯s not simple at all!¡± ¡°She racked her brains to figure out how to betray her blood rtives, just to marry into a rich family. There¡¯s no way someone who did that could still have a good heart!¡± Butler Zhao frowned. She snapped, ¡°All of you are spouting nonsense! Do you want me to tell Second Young Master everything you said?¡± Frightened, the servants immediately dispersed. They did not dare to go head-to-head with Second Young Master. He was so fierce! After reprimanding the servants, Butler Zhao turned around and left. At this moment, on the top floor of the Gu family¡¯s hotel¡­ Matriarch Gu sat idly on a chair. Wearing a pair of spectacles, she looked at the photograph on her phone. Her lips curved up involuntarily. ¡°Madam, Miss Zhao has arrived!¡± A servant stepped into the room, saying respectfully. ¡°Invite her in, quickly!¡± Matriarch Gu said with a smile, her gaze never leaving her phone screen. When she heard footsteps, she looked up and hurriedly called Zhao Qian over. ¡°Qian Qian, look! This is your Second Sister-inw!¡± There was a sh of surprise in Zhao Qian¡¯s eyes, but she didn¡¯t let it show in her expression. Instead, she smiled and sat down next to Matriarch Gu. ncing at the photograph of Qiao Nian on Matriarch Gu¡¯s phone screen, she said agreeably, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ve met Second Sister-inw before. She¡¯s very good-looking!¡± ¡°Indeed! I¡¯ve never seen such a pretty youngss in my life.¡± Matriarch Gu¡¯s eyes were tinged withughter, and there were more lines on her face than usual. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, when I first saw her, I thought she was an angel!¡± An angel? How could that woman be an angel? That woman was clearly evil, through and through¡ªshe was a demon. However, Zhao Qian did not voice these thoughts. Instead she smiled and nodded in agreement. After some hesitation, she said, ¡°But I heard that the one who was meant to marry Brother Gu Zhou was actually the third daughter of the Qiao family. Second Sister-inw was the one who snatched this marriage from Third Young Mistress Qiao!¡± Zhao Qian just wanted Grandma to hate that woman! When Matriarch Gu heard Zhao Qian¡¯s words, an expression of disbelief appeared on her face. Zhao Qian thought to herself: Looks like Grandma won¡¯t like that woman anymore! Just as Zhao Qian was feeling smug about herself, Matriarch Gu continued, ¡°Oh my god! This clearly means that they are a match made in heaven. She was destined to marry Gu Zhou right from the start!¡± Zhao Qian could have vomited blood. Astonished, she looked toward Matriarch Gu, her throat working slightly. Before she could finish her sentence, Matriarch Gu continued, ¡°From now on, Nian Nian will be the head of the family. When you get married in the future, she will also support you. You must get along well with her!¡± Zhao Qian¡¯s heart sank to the bottom. She frowned slightly. After hearing Matriarch Gu¡¯s words, she finally understood that Grandma had already affirmed Qiao Nian¡¯s ce in the Gu family. If she wanted to have a status among her inws in the future, she would have to rely on Qiao Nian. ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t want to get married. I want to stay by your side for the rest of my life!¡± Zhao Qian held onto Matriarch Gu¡¯s arm affectionately. In a fawning manner, she said, ¡°I will take good care of Grandma.¡± Matriarch Gu gave Zhao Qian a significant look. With a smile that did not reach her eyes, she said, ¡°All grown men should find a wife, and all grown women should find a husband. Don¡¯t spout nonsense. Go on now, I know you¡¯re busy!¡± Zhao Qian could tell that Matriarch Gu wasmanding her to take her leave. After some hesitation, she stood up and walked out unwillingly. Auntie Li, who was sitting by Matriarch Gu, frowned as she watched Zhao Qian leave. She stayed silent and ced a cup of tea on Matriarch Gu¡¯s table. ¡°She still hasn¡¯t given up on Gu Zhou!¡± Matriarch Gu sighed and said helplessly. Chapter 16 - 16 Darling Child ?16: Darling Child 16: Darling Child Editor: As Studios Matriarch Gu was well aware that Zhao Qian was romantically interested in Gu Zhou. However, Matriarch Gu had never approved of it. Furthermore, she felt that Zhao Qian was a little immature, and was not a suitable match for Gu Zhou. Matriarch Gu never expected Zhao Qian to badmouth Qiao Nian behind her back just so she could have a higher chance with Gu Zhou. Qiao Nian was her granddaughter-inw¡ªshe wasn¡¯t someone to be trifled with. Hearing Matriarch Gu sigh, Auntie Li spoke up in a consoling tone, her head lowered slightly. ¡°Miss Zhao will think it through.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope so!¡± Matriarch Gu took a deep breath and picked up her teacup, sipping slowly. She seemed to have suddenly thought of something, and asked, ¡°Have they slept together yet?¡± Auntie Li looked at Matriarch Gu and remained quiet. Suddenly, she recalled what Butler Zhao had told her. Awkwardly, Auntie Li shook her head and began to exin on behalf of Gu Zhou. ¡°Second Young Master seems to be very busytely. He hasn¡¯t returned to the vi much!¡± Matriarch Gu stopped sipping her tea and gave a helpless sigh. ¡°How can that be? How can they have a child if they¡¯re not sleeping together? I¡¯ll go back to the vi now to keep an eye on them!¡± Auntie Li lowered her head and remained quiet. After all, Matriarch Gu could do whatever she wanted. It was better for her to keep a low profile. Matriarch Gu nced at Little Qi and said to Auntie Li, ¡°You stay here and take care of Little Qi. I¡¯ll go back to the vi!¡± ¡°Yes, madam.¡± Auntie Li was well aware of Matriarch Gu¡¯s temperament, and said nothing more. Matriarch Gu swiftly instructed the other servants to pack up their luggage. In a flurry of excitement, she rushed to the Gu family vi. When Matriarch Gu arrived at the vi, she saw an unfamiliar girl sitting in a pavilion in the garden. She turned to look at Butler Zhao, who was standing next to her. ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°Thatdy is Second Young Madam¡¯s younger sister. She was specially invited over to the vi by the Second Young Master,¡± Butler Zhao replied. ¡°What?¡± When Matriarch Gu heard this, her expression momentarily turned ugly. She frowned and said, ¡°What is this nonsense? What about Second Young Madam?¡± ¡°Second Young Madam seems to be resting in her room!¡± After Butler Zhao spoke, he seemed to remember something and added, ¡°Second Young Madam seems to dislike Third Young Mistress Qiao greatly!¡± Matriarch Gu gave Third Young Mistress Qiao a disdainful look and pursed her lips. ¡°That girl looks so delicate and helpless. I don¡¯t like her much either!¡± Butler Zhao: ¡°¡­¡± However, Matriarch Gu would still treat guests with politeness and grace. She stepped towards the pavilion. Seeing Qiao Xin stand up, Matriarch Gu said with a smile, ¡°Third Young Mistress Qiao, I¡¯m Gu Zhou¡¯s grandmother. If you have no urgent matters to handle in the Gu residence, could I offer you a ride home?¡± ¡°How do you do, Madam Gu,¡± Qiao Xin greeted politely. Hearing Matriarch Gu¡¯s thinly veiled invitation to leave, she lowered her head ufortably and said in a low voice, ¡°Brother-inw said he would help me find someone. I¡¯ll leave immediately after I meet that person!¡± Upon hearing Qiao Xin¡¯s words, Matriarch Gu felt a little ufortable. The Third Young Mistress Qiao was indeed an ignorant youngdy. It simply wouldn¡¯t do for someone of the younger generation to reject their elders so directly. Indeed, it was fortunate that Third Young Mistress Qiao had not married into the Gu family. Otherwise, Matriarch Gu would have gone to great lengths to convince Gu Zhou to get a divorce. Matriarch Gu turned to smile at the butler standing next to her. She said, ¡°Ask the servants to take good care of Third Young Mistress Qiao. Don¡¯t neglect her. Otherwise, outsiders will me our Gu family for being ungracious.¡± Qiao Xin stood rooted to the ground in shock. She could tell that Matriarch Gu was displeased with her, but she couldn¡¯t understand why. Before Qiao Xin could react, Matriarch Gu had already left, taking Butler Zhao with her. Qiao Xin was left standing alone in the pavilion, still gaping. Butler Zhao followed behind Matriarch Gu. She found herself worrying that Matriarch Gu would directly seek trouble with the Second Young Madam. However, Butler Zhao had been over-thinking. When Matriarch Gu glimpsed Qiao Nian, who was holding a book on medicine, she smiled brightly and tugged at Qiao Nian¡¯s arm affectionately, looking at her with a loving expression. Qiao Nian was stunned. A faint smile appeared on her face as she nced toward Butler Zhao in confusion. Butler Zhao exined dutifully, ¡°Second Young Madam, this is Madam Gu!¡± Madam Gu. Wasn¡¯t thisdy Gu Zhou¡¯s grandmother? ¡°Grandmother.¡± As soon as Qiao Nian¡¯s words fell, she saw Matriarch Gu¡¯s face move even closer to hers. ¡°Oh, my darling child!¡± Matriarch Gu looked at Qiao Nian, full of affection and warmth. With Qiao Nian standing in front of her in the flesh, Matriarch Gu thought privately that Qiao Nian looked even prettier than she had in the video. She grasped Qiao Nian¡¯s delicate hand and said worriedly, ¡°Why are you so thin? Butler Zhao, you must prepare more delicious food for my darling child!¡± With confusion written all over her face, Butler Zhao gave assent. This was the first time she had seen the matriarch of the Gu family treat an outsider with such warmth. That¡¯s right. Previously, in Butler Zhao¡¯s eyes, Qiao Nian had always been an outsider. But now, Butler Zhao felt that she should take good care of Qiao Nian. After all, she was clearly in favor with Matriarch Gu. It seemed that Qiao Nian had secured her position as the Second Young Madam of the Gu family. Chapter 17 - 17 What a Pervert ?17: What a Pervert 17: What a Pervert Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian was not used to being treated with such enthusiasm, and found herself quite overwhelmed. Holding onto Qiao Nian¡¯s hand, Matriarch Gu began walking into the house. Her gazended on Qiao Nian¡¯s face and she spoke gently, as if she was afraid of scaring Qiao Nian. ¡°My darling child, how old are you this year?¡± ¡°Twenty-four.¡± ¡°Good, good!¡± The smile on Matriarch Gu¡¯s face grew even brighter. ¡°You¡¯re a good girl!¡± Qiao Nian grew even more confused. All she had done was answer Matriarch Gu¡¯s question about her age. Just for that, she was called a ¡°good girl¡±? ¡°Oh!¡± Matriarch Gu suddenly eximed. Startled, Qiao Nian froze. ¡°Lan is on your arm! This little pet is extremely intelligent. It likes those who are kind-hearted.¡± Matriarch Gu¡¯s smile was so wide, it seemed as if her face was about to split in half. She looked at Qiao Nian lovingly. ¡°It seems that my darling granddaughter must be a very kind angel. That¡¯s why Lan is following you around!¡± Qiao Nian smiled awkwardly. What should she say? Thank you? Matriarch Gu did not sense the awkwardness at all. She felt that her dear granddaughter must have sent by the heavens to rescue her grandson. Her eyes sparkled as she asked, ¡°I heard that your younger sister bullied you?¡± Qiao Nian lowered her head and smiled faintly, remaining quiet. ¡°Good girl. If anyone bullies you in the future, you have to tell me. Grandma will stand up for you!¡± At this point, Matriarch Gu finally remembered her purpose ofing here. She said to Butler Zhao, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Quickly move Nian Nian¡¯s things to Second Young Master¡¯s room!¡± Butler Zhao was stunned. Second Young Master was a clean freak. If Second Young Master found out that Second Young Madam¡¯s things were in his room, would he lose his temper and order them to renovate his entire bedroom? ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going?¡± Matriarch Gu narrowed her eyes, displeased. Butler Zhao could only brace herself and carry out themand. Privately, she prayed that Second Young Master would not fly into a rage that night. ¡­ When night fell, Qiao Nian was still reading in the guest room. Matriarch Gu was sitting by her side, so sleepy that her eyelids kept sliding shut. She didn¡¯t want to disrupt Qiao Nian¡¯s reading, so she got up and walked outside. Once outside, she took out her phone to call Gu Zhou, urging him to return home early. When Gu Zhou returned, Matriarch Gu was already so tired that she was practically in tears. Seeing his grandmother in that state, Gu Zhou frowned slightly and gave Butler Zhao a cold nce, as if ming her for not taking good care of Matriarch Gu. Butler Zhao hurriedly lowered her head in fear, not daring to speak. ¡°Don¡¯t me her.¡± Matriarch Gu spoke up first. She walked up to Gu Zhou and asked in a low voice, ¡°My darling child has been married into our family for quite a few days. Why haven¡¯t you been taking good care of her? Why haven¡¯t you consummated your marriage?¡± Startled, Gu Zhou stood there with confusion written all over his face. Could it be that Grandma was referring to Qiao Nian? Since when did Grandma be so close with Qiao Nian? However, Gu Zhou chose to continue pretending to be in the dark. He asked, ¡°Who is your ¡®darling child¡¯?¡± ¡°Your wife, of course!¡± Matriarch Gu red daggers at Gu Zhou, saying resentfully, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked someone to move my darling child¡¯s things into your room. You¡¯re a man, so you have to take the initiative. Otherwise, your wife will run away!¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you. Are you listening to me?¡± Matriarch Gu spoke without a trace of humor. She was only satisfied when she saw Gu Zhou turn to look at her. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll say no more. You youngsters have fun at night!¡± With that, Matriarch Gu left with Butler Zhao. Seeing that the lights in Qiao Nian¡¯s room were still on, Gu Zhou walked over. The moment Gu Zhou entered the room, his eyes met Qiao Nian¡¯s glittering ones. He narrowed his eyes andmanded, ¡°Sleep in my room!¡± Qiao Nian closed the book on medicine in her hands and replied, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine here. Ah¡­¡± Qiao Nian had never expected for Gu Zhou to walk over and pick her up in his arms in a bridal carry. Caught off-bnce, she looked toward Gu Zhou in shock and unintentionally met those soul-stirring eyes. She pursed her lips slightly and said, ¡°Put me down!¡± ¡°Sleep in my room tonight!¡± With those words, Gu Zhou carried Qiao Nian back to his room. Not far away, Matriarch Gu poked her head out sneakily. She watched as Qiao Nian was carried into the room by Gu Zhou and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Carefully, she tiptoed to Gu Zhou¡¯s bedroom door. The door to Gu Zhou¡¯s room was tightly shut. Matriarch Gu pressed her ear against the door. ¡°You¡­¡± Before Qiao Nian could finish speaking, Gu Zhou ced a hand over her mouth. ¡°Shh!¡± Gu Zhou pressed Qiao Nian under him and gazed into her eyes. His eyes dimmed. With a low voice, he asked hoarsely, ¡°Do you know how to scream?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou in confusion and blinked. Gu Zhou reached out pinched Qiao Nian¡¯s arm hard. ¡°Ah!¡± Gu Zhou let go and Qiao Nian gave a shout of pain. He immediately ced a hand over her mouth. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Qiao Nian red daggers at Gu Zhou. She had never expected this man to be a sadomasochist. What a pervert! Chapter 18 - 18 Marriage Contract ?18: Marriage Contract 18: Marriage Contract Editor: As Studios The more Qiao Nian thought about it, the more she felt that he was a pervert. Humiliated tears welled up in her eyes and she red daggers at Gu Zhou, unblinking. Gu Zhou, meanwhile, wasser-focused on what was happening outside the room. ¡°Madam, maybe we should leave!¡± Judging from the voice, it was Butler Zhao who had spoken. ¡°Stop that nonsense. Let me listen carefully. Has the deed been done?¡± This voice belonged to Matriarch Gu. Slowly, Qiao Nian began to stop struggling. So Gu Zhou was putting on an act. She looked at Gu Zhou carefully and saw that his eyes were clear and emotionless. She realized that she had been over-thinking. After a while, Qiao Nian heard the sound of footsteps leaving. When Gu Zhou removed his hand from her mouth, she let out a sigh of relief. Gu Zhou tugged at his tie and nced at Qiao Nian coldly, asking, ¡°Did you tell tales?¡± The man¡¯s hoarse voice held a trace of sexiness. There was a hint of ridicule in his words, and it was hard to tell if he was questioning or mocking her. Qiao Nian gave Gu Zhou an expressionless nce-over. She said casually, ¡°I¡¯m not so free. If you don¡¯t have any evidence, don¡¯t spout nonsense.¡± With that, Qiao Nian picked up her book and walked towards the door. Hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Gu Zhou¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. He said, ¡°Sleep here tonight.¡± Qiao Nian stood dumbfounded for a moment. She recalled the servant saying that Gu Zhou didn¡¯t like other people entering his room. Could it be that Gu Zhou was nning to sleep somewhere else himself? Qiao Nian thought she understood. She was about to get into bed when she saw Gu Zhou walking over. ¡°Second Young Master, if nothing else is the matter, you should rest early!¡± Qiao Nian said as she nced toward the door. It was obvious that she was inviting him to leave. Gu Zhou calmly loosened his tie and lowered his gaze. Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t see the look in his eyes, but she could sense his displeasure. ncing at the bed, Qiao Nian instantly understood. Gu Zhou must have wanted to sleep in his own bed. She said, ¡°Why don¡¯t I get the servants to move your bed to another room?¡± Before Gu Zhou could reply, Qiao Nian added, ¡°I haven¡¯t touched your bed, so you don¡¯t have to worry!¡± Gu Zhou was silent for a moment, his eyes darkening. The expression on his face was intriguing. After a bit, he said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± In other words, he didn¡¯t mind if she touched his bed. Qiao Nian was stunned for a brief moment before she came back to her senses. It was true that they appeared in this room at the same time. Gu Zhou must had seen that she didn¡¯t touch the bed. She spoke, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, you were the one who brought me here. Alright, I¡¯ll get someone to move the bed out and bring a new bed in!¡± As Qiao Nian spoke, she walked towards the door, preparing to call for the servants. ¡°Do you want Grandma to know that we¡¯re sleeping in separate rooms?¡± Sitting by the bed, Gu Zhou looked up at Qiao Nian calmly. Qiao Nian¡¯s steps came to a halt. She turned back to look at Gu Zhou. Ignoring the impassiveness in his eyes, she continued speaking. ¡°You don¡¯t like me, do you? My departure should suit you just fine.¡± After a pause, Qiao Nian nced at Gu Zhou with a strange expression. Thinking about how Gu Zhou had pretended to consummate their marriage just now, she asked, ¡°Why did you let Grandmother misunderstand what we were doing in the room?¡± Gu Zhou narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression indecipherable. He stood up and stepped towards Qiao Nian, looking down at her with amanding air. ¡°Can you cure my illness?¡± Qiao Nian looked up, her long hair falling naturally onto her shoulders. She looked at the man in front of her and said, ¡°I¡¯m only 70% certain.¡± As she spoke, Qiao Nian finally understood what Gu Zhou meant. Her eyes lit up, and she gave a sly smile. ¡°Second Young Master, let¡¯s sign a contract!¡± Gu Zhou raised his eyebrows slightly, looking at Qiao Nian in confusion. Qiao Nian quickly walked to the side and took out the contract that she had prepared beforehand. She handed it to Gu Zhou and said, ¡°We¡¯ll have a marriage by contract. For one year.¡± Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian, his expression unpleasant. In spite of himself, his hands clenched into fists. He stared at Qiao Nian coldly and did not speak for a long time. ¡°For this one year, we won¡¯t interfere with each other¡¯s private lives, and I¡¯ll treat your illness. After a year, we¡¯ll get a divorce and let each other go.¡± Qiao Nian spoke slowly, a bright smile in her eyes. Gu Zhou looked straight into Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. The sparkle in those eyes irritated him. Qiao Nian held the contract in one hand and a pen in the other. She handed both items to Gu Zhou. ¡°Sign it!¡± Upon hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Gu Zhou took the contract from her, taking his time. With a calm expression, he ripped the contract in half, then tossed both pieces of paper away with an arrogant air. The two halves of the contract fell to the ground gently, almost like snowkes. Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou in disbelief. She frowned slightly, puzzled. ¡°What do you mean by this?¡± Qiao Nian continued to stare at Gu Zhou enquiringly. She didn¡¯t understand what kind of tantrum Gu Zhou was throwing. Why did he tear up the contract? Shouldn¡¯t he have signed the contract without hesitation? Chapter 19 - 19 Doesnt He Despise Her ?19: Doesn¡¯t He Despise Her? 19: Doesn¡¯t He Despise Her? Editor: As Studios Gu Zhou said coldly, ¡°Woman, did you think that doing that would attract my attention? You¡¯re too naive!¡± Then, he turned around to leave. Qiao Nian had never expected Gu Zhou to tear the contract in half. However, this was not an obstacle. Out of habit, she had prepared two copies beforehand. She handed the other copy to Gu Zhou and said, ¡°There¡¯s one more!¡± Gu Zhou looked at her with contempt. His voice was cold as he said impassively, ¡°From now on, don¡¯t mention this again. Treat your role as Second Young Madam with respect!¡± Qiao Nian was even more confused. Gu Zhou couldn¡¯t be bothered to say another word to Qiao Nian. He turned around and walked into the bathroom, leaving Qiao Nian alone. Qiao Nian gazed at Gu Zhou¡¯s retreating back. The expression in her eyes grew more and more tense. She felt that there must be something wrong with Gu Zhou. He clearly didn¡¯t like her. Was he forcing her to stay in the Gu family solely because of her medical skills? But that wasn¡¯t right either. Gu Zhou didn¡¯t seem to be willing to let her treat his illness. Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t figure it out, and could no longer be bothered to think about it. Instead, she found herself in a dilemma over where she should sleep tonight. When Gu Zhou came out of the bathroom, he saw Qiao Nian sitting on the sofa. He raised his eyebrows slightly. With smiling eyes, he said unhurriedly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to go to bed?¡± ¡°I think Grandma should already be asleep by now. I¡¯ll sleep next door!¡± Qiao Nian replied with a smile, her gazending on Gu Zhou¡¯s face. ¡°Just sleep on my bed. I have an errand to run tonight, so I¡¯ll be heading out.¡± With that, Gu Zhou turned around and stepped into the coatroom. Qiao Nian was stunned. He didn¡¯t despise her? Suppressing her astonishment, Qiao Nian spoke. ¡°My sister asked me when the owner of the jade pendant would return. She¡¯ll also be staying the night.¡± Upon hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Gu Zhou¡¯s expression froze for a moment. After a brief pause, he replied, ¡°He¡¯s back, but something cropped up with a project he¡¯s handling. He¡¯lle by once the matter is settled.¡± ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Qiao Nian saw Gu Zhou to the door. She was about to shut the door when she heard Gu Zhou speak. ¡°You seem to be very concerned about this matter.¡± Gu Zhou stared hard at Qiao Nian, scrutinizing her expression. He was hoping to see something from her reaction. Qiao Nian pursed her lips, giving a faint smile. Her expression remained calm as she replied, ¡°I just want her to leave as soon as possible. I get irritated whenever I see her.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes turned cold as he continued, ¡°When she appeared with the jade pendant, your reaction was abnormal. I even thought the jade pendant was yours!¡± As Gu Zhou finished speaking, he saw that Qiao Nian¡¯s hands were tightly clenched into fists. A faint smile appeared on his face as he looked calmly at Qiao Nian. Indeed, Qiao Nian must have had something to do with the jade pendant. ¡°I just don¡¯t like her. It¡¯s nothing more than that.¡± Qiao Nian looked up at Gu Zhou and continued, ¡°She forced me to marry into this family for her. I just wanted to humiliate her, that¡¯s all!¡± Gu Zhou gave Qiao Nian a meaningful look and said nothing more. Qiao Nian swiftly closed the door. Her heart, which had been in her throat, gradually settled back down. She still wasn¡¯t entirely clear on what had happened five years ago. She couldn¡¯t alert the enemy unnecessarily. What surprised Qiao Nian was that Gu Zhou was willing to let her sleep on his bed. However, Qiao Nian still decided to return to her guest room. She was a sensible person. Qiao Nian waited in the room for a while, then walked to the guest room next door. At this moment, her phone suddenly began to ring. Old A had sent her a text. ¡°Someone wants to investigate you. As per your instructions, I¡¯ve already prepared a copy of your information!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Qiao Nian sent a text in reply. ¡°However, that person asked a really specific question.¡± ¡°What question?¡± Qiao Nian frowned. ¡°He asked if you¡¯ve ever given birth, and if you did, where the baby had gone.¡± Looking at the message from Old A, Qiao Nian¡¯s hand began to tremble slightly. Her gaze lowered, a tinge of heartache appearing in her eyes. Four years ago, she was forced to give birth, but the child had died the moment it was born. Old A sent another text, perhaps because Qiao Nian had not replied for a long time. ¡°That person offered a high price.¡± ¡°How high?¡± Qiao Nian asked. ¡°A hundred million.¡± Reading Old A¡¯s reply, Qiao Nian narrowed her eyes. She couldn¡¯t help but feel tempted. ¡°Who¡¯s the one investigating?¡± ¡°Gu Zhou!¡± Qiao Nian pushed open the door to the guest room and walked in, then sat down dejectedly. She could still remember the pain and sorrow from the night she gave birth, with utmost rity. The only thing she couldn¡¯t recall was the child she gave birth to. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll send you the informationter.¡± After Qiao Nian replied, she threw her phone aside. She lowered her gaze slightly, her lips curving up. Since Gu Zhou suspected her, she would give him the truth. That way, Gu Zhou would likely get a divorce with her very soon. Qiao Nian wrote down the birth date of her child, and sent it to Old A. After receiving a reply from Old A, Qiao Nian quietly deleted all the chat records. Then, she turned off her phone to get ready for bed. The next morning, Qiao Nian was woken up by a knock on the door. She went to open the door with a sullen expression and her gazended on that woman¡¯s face. Before she could say anything, the woman began to scream as if she were a pig being ughtered. Chapter 20 - 20 Favoritism ?20: Favoritism 20: Favoritism Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian gave Qiao Xin a displeased look. Silently, she brought up her hands to cover her ears, her expression filled with disdain. ¡°Can you stop screaming? You sound like a pig!¡± Qiao Xin covered her mouth in panic. Horrified, she looked at the snake on Qiao Nian¡¯s shoulder. She staggered two steps back, attempting to distance herself from Qiao Nian. Her voice trembled as she said, ¡°Sister, why are you sleeping with the snake?¡± ¡°If not the snake, then who? Would you rather I slept with you?¡± Qiao Nian gave Qiao Xin a look of dislike. She had always had a bad temper upon waking up, and now she was getting more and more irritated. She said angrily, ¡°Get lost, I want to continue sleeping!¡± Seeing that Qiao Nian was about to shut the door, Qiao Xin hurriedly moved forward to stop the door from closing. She said anxiously, ¡°Sister, Madam Gu and Brother-inw are waiting for you downstairs!¡± Qiao Nian rolled her eyes at Qiao Xin and went into the room to wash up. When she came out again, she was already wearing a white t-shirt and denim skirt. When Qiao Nian appeared in the dining room, she saw Matriarch Gu talking to Gu Zhou. ¡°You usually know how to take care of people, don¡¯t you? Your wife is younger than you. Why don¡¯t you take care of her? You¡¯ve been using so much strength. Those who don¡¯t know might think that you¡¯re abusive!¡± Gu Zhou was looking at his phone impassively. Evidently, he didn¡¯t take Matriarch Gu¡¯s words to heart at all. Qiao Xin listened to Matriarch Gu speaking, and her face turned pale. She looked toward Qiao Nian with jealousy. Qiao Nian lowered her gaze silently. So Matriarch Gu had fallen for their act. She had even been pinched by Gu Zhou yesterday night. ¡°Oh, my darling girl, you¡¯re up. Come and sit down!¡± Matriarch Gu gazed dotingly at Qiao Nian and waved her over. She said happily, ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling well, sleep more. You don¡¯t have to be up so early!¡± Qiao Nian obediently greeted, ¡°Grandma.¡± She took a seat next to Matriarch Gu. As for Qiao Xin, she looked at Matriarch Gu in disbelief. It should be known that she had gotten up at six o¡¯clock. When Matriarch Gu saw her in the morning, she said with disdain that she had woken upte. It was already half past nine and Qiao Nian had just gotten up. Not only did Matriarch Gu not me her sister for waking upte, she even told her sister to rest more. Qiao Xin frowned as she looked at Qiao Nian, her expression brimming with jealousy. Vaguely, she sensed a dangerous gaze on her. She looked up and saw Gu Zhou looking at her. Qiao Xin¡¯s heart flew into in her mouth. She quickly looked down to hide her anger. Gu Zhou¡¯s weighty gaze lingered on Qiao Xin. Looking up, he saw that Lin Nan had arrived. He gave Lin Nan a look, then followed Lin Nan to the study on the second floor. In the study. Lin Nan handed the information he had found to Gu Zhou and said with a serious expression, ¡°This is the information I¡¯ve gathered on Second Young Madam and her younger sister, from the past five years. It¡¯s all written here clearly. Take a look!¡± The documents stated that Qiao Nian had been sent to live in the countryside when she was one year old. She was only brought back to the city when she was neen, and became a top student in S University¡¯s medical field. Four years ago, she gave birth to a baby and was sent to a mental hospital soon after. She was now Second Young Master Gu¡¯s wife. Qiao Xin was the beloved and pampered daughter of the Qiao family. She had never liked her sister and her biggest wish was to marry into a rich family. She was a student from a third-tier university. Gu Zhou lowered his gaze and said impassively, ¡°She really did have a child.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Nan nodded. He could feel the coldness radiating from Second Young Master Gu. Sensing that misfortune was about to befall Qiao Nian, Lin Nan silently lit a row of prayer candles for Qiao Nian in his heart. ¡°The Qiao family must be really bold!¡± Gu Zhou frowned slightly. He wasn¡¯t angry at Qiao Nian, but he felt that Qiao Nian¡¯s parents were truly entric. If Qiao Nian had the ability to resist, Gu Zhou guessed that she would not have been forcibly sent to the mental hospital by the Qiao family. It seemed that Qiao Nian being sent to the mental hospital had a lot to do with her having a child. Qiao Nian, having a child? Four years ago, giving birth? A trace of surprise shed in Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes. At this moment, there came a knock on the study door. Before Gu Zhou could say anything, the door opened and he saw Qiao Nian standing at the door with a cup of tea. The sunlight from the corridor scattered over her, painting her in ayer of gold. She looked like an otherworldly fairy. Qiao Nian gave a small smile. ¡°Did Ie at the wrong time?¡± ¡°No.¡± Casually, Gu Zhou ced a file of papers on the pile of documents he had been reading. He looked at Qiao Nian intently and said, ¡°Let the servants do this kind of work in the future.¡± Smiling, Qiao Nian brought the tea in and ced it on the desk. She pursed her lips slightly and said, ¡°Grandma asked me to send it over.¡± Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian¡¯s small face, barely bigger than his palm. For a brief moment, a trace of heartache appeared in his eyes. He finally understood why Qiao Nian was no longer afraid of snakes. He guessed that living under the Qiao family, she had no choice but to evolve from a docile little rabbit to a poisonous beast. Qiao Nian put down the tea and turned to leave, not forgetting to close the door. In a low voice, Lin Nan spoke. ¡°Second Young Master, should we send Second Young Madam back to the Qiao family?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Gu Zhou frowned and took out the documents again. ¡°Help me find someone!¡± Chapter 21 - 21 Jealousy ?21: Jealousy 21: Jealousy Editor: As Studios Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze fell on thest line of words on the document. ¡°Qiao Nian and Su Yan used to date. Because Qiao Xin stepped in, Qiao Xin got together with Su Yan instead.¡± Gu Zhou closed the file and stuffed it into Lin Nan¡¯s hands. Calmly, he said, ¡°Go and investigate the reasons behind Qiao Nian and Su Yan¡¯s breakup. Investigate Su Yan as well, and find Mr. W.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Nanmitted everything Gu Zhou said to memory. When Qiao Nian went downstairs, she saw Gu Zhou and Lin Nan following her downstairs as well. She was surprised but did not show it on her face. Gu Zhou caught up with Qiao Nian in two or three steps. He walked closer to her and said into her ear, ¡°Mr. W has left again. Something cropped up.¡± Qiao Nian froze for a moment and looked at Gu Zhou in confusion. She didn¡¯t know any Mr. W. ¡°The owner of the jade pendant.¡± Gu Zhou said, standing on the stairs. He looked down and saw Qiao Xin standing in the living room. He frowned unhappily. A little girl who had stolen her sister¡¯s boyfriend must have some ulterior motive. ¡°Ask your sister to return home first!¡± Qiao Nian agreed and followed Gu Zhou down the stairs. She was curious why Gu Zhou had even brought Qiao Xin here in the first ce. Was it really because of the owner of the jade pendant? Gu Zhou went downstairs and politely exchanged a few words with Matriarch Gu before leaving. ¡°Sister!¡± Qiao Xin quickly went up to Qiao Nian and looked at her ingratiatingly. In a stark contrast to the disdain that Qiao Nian was used to, Qiao Xin stepped forward and grasped Qiao Nian¡¯s arm affectionately. Who didn¡¯t know how to act? Sisterly love? Qiao Nian looked at Qiao Xin with a smile and slipped her arm out of Qiao Xin¡¯s grasp in a smooth motion. She saidnguidly, ¡°Xin Xin, your brother-inw told me that the owner of the jade pendant, Mr. W, is busy and will onlye over after some time. Why don¡¯t you go back home for a while?¡± Qiao Xin naturally understood that Qiao Nian wouldn¡¯t dare to give her the wrong information under Gu Zhou¡¯s name. She lowered her gaze slightly, the corners of her lips still raised, hiding the disdain in her eyes. Sweetly, she replied. ¡°Alright, I will.¡± Qiao Nian nced toward the door. Seeing that Qiao Xin was still standing there, unmoving, Qiao Nian raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°I have other things to do, so I won¡¯t apany you!¡± Qiao Nian then walked towards Matriarch Gu. Qiao Xin stood there coldly, her hands clenched into fists. She turned back and saw Matriarch Gu gazing at Qiao Nian dotingly. How was this fair?! How could Qiao Nian be loved by Matriarch Gu? She was clearly much better than Qiao Nian in every way. Her academics were much better than Qiao Nian as well. Qiao Nian was just a lunatic! Qiao Xin hid the coldness and loathing in her eyes. She couldn¡¯t give away her true emotions so early in the game. She had to protect herself first. At this thought, Qiao Xin took a deep breath and walked in front of Matriarch Gu, saying politely, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°Any Tom, Dick or Harry dares to call me ¡®Grandma¡¯. Surely the threshold to enter the Gu family isn¡¯t this low?¡± Matriarch Gu cut in sarcastically. She gave Qiao Xin an indifferent nce, lips curving up coldly. Qiao Xin felt as if someone had emptied a bucket of cold water onto her head in the dead of winter. She stood rooted to the spot, clenching her fists involuntarily. ¡°Madam Gu, Qiao Xin still has work to do. I¡¯ll leave first!¡± Qiao Xin said in reply, smiling sweetly. Sitting at the side, Qiao Nian suddenly felt that Qiao Xin¡¯s shamelessness was truly unrivaled. Qiao Xin was obviously livid, but she could still put on a sweet and charming mask with ease. ¡°Hurry up and leave. After you leave, it¡¯ll be easier for the servants clean the vi thoroughly. Otherwise, I keep thinking that there¡¯s some strange smell around here!¡± Matriarch Gu said rudely,pletely disregarding etiquette. She turned her head to the side and took no notice of Qiao Xin¡¯s pitiful expression. Qiao Xin bit her lip and turned away, beginning to walk towards the door. Her hands were clenched tightly into fists and her nails dug into her palms. Seeing that Qiao Xin had left, Matriarch Gu turned to look worriedly at Qiao Nian, who was sitting beside her. She said anxiously, ¡°My darling child, your younger sister is a little scary. If she bullies you again, don¡¯t be afraid. Tell Grandma, and Grandma will help you chase her away!¡± Qiao Nian felt warmth touch her heart. Although she knew that Matriarch Gu only doted on her so much because of Gu Zhou, she was still touched. Smiling, she replied, ¡°I understand. Thank you, Grandma!¡± ¡°Oh, my darling girl, why are you so polite?¡± The more Matriarch Gu spent time with Qiao Nian, the more she felt that Qiao Nian was an obedient and sensible girl. She was a perfectly suitable granddaughter-inw. Matriarch Gu continued, ¡°Oh right, I have something to give you. Use this to buy some clothes!¡± As she spoke, Matriarch Gu took out a ck card and handed it to Qiao Nian. Without waiting for Qiao Nian to decline, she continued, ¡°This is what you deserve. This ck credit card doesn¡¯t require a password, nor fingerprint authentication. You can use it to pay for anything without hassle. Take it. When you have your wedding with Gu Zhou, Grandma will have more gifts for you!¡± Hearing Matriarch Gu¡¯s words, Qiao Nian quickly lowered her gaze. She did not speak. She knew that Gu Zhou would refuse to marry her. Of course, she would not marry Gu Zhou either. Chapter 22 - 22 Provoked by a Two-Faced Person ?22: Provoked by a Two-Faced Person 22: Provoked by a Two-Faced Person Editor: As Studios With Qiao Nian¡¯s abilities, she could leave the mental hospital any time she wanted. The reason why she married into the Gu family was because she did not want to be monitored by the Qiao family after leaving the mental hospital. No matter how long her marriage with Gu Zhou wouldst, it would not affect her investigation of what happened five years ago. Now, she could make use of Gu Zhou to investigate what happened five years ago. Matriarch Gu repeatedly urged Qiao Nian to buy more clothes. After talking for a while, she grew worried that Qiao Nian would be embarrassed to use the ck card to spend money on new clothes. She hurriedly looked toward her and said, ¡°My darling girl, why don¡¯t I go shopping with you? I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be willing to spend money.¡± Qiao Nian smiled and quickly said, ¡°Grandma, I can do it myself.¡± ¡°Alright. But if you don¡¯t go shopping today, I¡¯ll be going with you tomorrow.¡± Matriarch Gu stood up as she spoke, her gazending on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. ¡°I have something on today, so I¡¯ll leave first. Remember, you must buy more clothes. Women should treat themselves better!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Qiao Nian agreed obediently. Seeing Qiao Nian like this, Matriarch Gu was overjoyed. After seeing Matriarch Gu off, Qiao Nian looked at the ck card in her hand. She thought for a while and decided to follow Matriarch Gu¡¯s instructions to buy some new clothes. She didn¡¯t have many clothes after leaving the mental hospital. When she reached the mall, Qiao Nian walked into a branded shop and looked though the clothes calmly. Qiao Xin and her friend Zhou Xue were also shopping at the same mall. Zhou Xue wasn¡¯t very well-off, and usually went out with Qiao Xin. Qiao Xin would gift her some clothes when she was in a good mood. Zhou Xue¡¯s gazended on the person not far away from them. She frowned slightly and whispered, ¡°Xin Xin, look. Is that person your older sister?¡± Without waiting for Qiao Xin to reply, Zhou Xue continued in confusion, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that your sister was in the mental hospital? Why has shee out?¡± Qiao Xin was looking through some clothes when she heard Zhou Xue¡¯s words. She looked over and saw Qiao Nian doing the same not far away. She rolled her eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°Sister came out a few days ago. She¡¯s already gotten married.¡± Hearing Qiao Xin¡¯s words, Zhou Xue looked at Qiao Xin in disbelief and asked in a low voice, ¡°Your family must be so nice. They gave your sister such arge dowry for her marriage!¡± At that, Qiao Xin was momentarily stunned. She thought of the shares Qiao Nian had extorted from her, and silently agreed with Zhou Xue. Zhou Xue¡¯s gaze fell on the sales assistant behind Qiao Nian. The sales assistant was already holding seven to eight pieces of clothing. One had to know that the cheapest item here cost around ten thousand dors. Qiao Xin naturally noticed the clothes Qiao Nian had selected. Rolling her eyes, she continued, ¡°Sister took half of mypany shares!¡± ¡°What!¡± Zhou Xue looked at Qiao Xin in shock. Qiao Xin owned 20% of the Qiaopany shares. ording to Qiao Xin, Qiao Nian had taken half of her shares, which meant¡­ ¡°Your parents gave those to her willingly?¡± Qiao Xin lowered her head dejectedly, her eyes watery as she said, ¡°She¡¯s my older sister. I should give in to her!¡± With those few casual words, Qiao Xin aired out all her grievances. ¡°This won¡¯t do. We have to get your shares back. Back then, she tried to snatch your boyfriend; now, she¡¯s stolen your money. You can¡¯t give in to her so easily!¡± Pulling Qiao Xin with her, Zhou Xue began to walk towards Qiao Nian in a rage. She had to seek justice for her good friend. Qiao Nian was standing in front of the mirror, holding a floral dress and examining it carefully. After looking at it for a while, she shook her head in dissatisfaction and put the dress back onto the rack. She was about to look for other clothes when she saw Zhou Xue and Qiao Xin walking towards her. ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯re so shameless!¡± Zhou Xue¡¯s fury exploded when she saw Qiao Nian. She had never seen such a brazen woman in her life. ¡°In the past, you tried to snatch Qiao Xin¡¯s boyfriend and now you¡¯ve even stolen her shares. How can you be so vicious!¡± Qiao Nian was no longer in the mood to shop. She couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to someone who clearlycked intelligence. She turned to the sales assistant and said, ¡°Help me wrap these things up.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± the sales assistant answered. Holding the items, she walked towards the cashier. Qiao Nian stepped towards the cashier, preparing to pay, but Zhou Xue grabbed hold of her arm. She turned around and saw Zhou Xue raising her hand, preparing to give her a p. Without waiting for her to make a move, Qiao Nian swiftly pped Zhou Xue, causing Zhou Xue to stagger two steps back. In the space of that p, Zhou Xue had no choice but to let go of Qiao Nian¡¯s arm. In a panic, she held onto the shelf beside her, barely managing to keep her bnce. Qiao Xin red at Qiao Nian with an ugly expression, then hurriedly lowered her gaze. She quickly walked to Zhou Xue¡¯s side, holding out a hand to support her. Rolling her eyes, Qiao Xin said softly, ¡°Xue¡¯er, let¡¯s go. You won¡¯t be able to beat her. I remember your boyfriend liked her back then, but she¡­¡± Chapter 23 - 23 The Black Card! ?23: The ck Card! 23: The ck Card! Editor: As Studios ¡°What?¡± Zhou Xue had been feeling frustrated, but upon hearing Qiao Xin¡¯s words, she narrowed her eyes and asked coldly, ¡°Li Zheng liked her?¡± Qiao Xin¡¯s breath caught. She looked toward Zhou Xue in a panic, and quickly exined, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t think too much. It¡¯s not like that. Li Zheng did nothing w-with her¡­¡± The more Qiao Xin exined, the more anxious she became. Cold sweat began to break out on her forehead. In the end, she sighed helplessly and looked at Zhou Xue with red-rimmed eyes. She said in a soothing tone, ¡°Xue¡¯er, let¡¯s leave!¡± From Zhou Xue¡¯s point of view, Qiao Xin¡¯s actions made it more obvious that she was trying to cover something up. She looked toward Qiao Nian, who was standing at the cashier counter, with a sour expression. Zhou Xue¡¯s eyes were burning with anger. Her best friend had been bullied, and her boyfriend had once liked that bitch. Zhou Xue had always valued her friendships. At this moment, she was so angry that she could have vomited blood. She straightened her back, pushed Qiao Xin¡¯s hand away, and walked towards Qiao Nian without hesitation. ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯re too shameless!¡± Zhou Xue walked up to Qiao Nian with her hand raised, ready to p her. Qiao Nian frowned, a little annoyed by Zhou Xue¡¯s behavior. She turned and said to the staff, ¡°This person is causing trouble. Please call security!¡± The sales assistant looked at the pile of clothes in front of her. Her sales performance this month would definitely be the best among all the employees. Smiling, the assistant picked up the phone, preparing to call security. Naturally, Zhou Xue saw the salesperson¡¯s actions. She put down her hand angrily and red at Qiao Nian, livid. With malice written all over her face, she said, ¡°Qiao Nian, you impudent bitch. You stole your sister¡¯s boyfriend and now you¡¯re stealing her shares. Have you no shame at all?!¡± At Zhou Xue¡¯s words, Qiao Nian¡¯s gazended on Qiao Xin, who was standing not far away. Qiao Xin had donned a worried facade, looking like an innocent little bunny. The pretense was obvious! ¡°The bill, please.¡± As Qiao Nian spoke, she swiftly took out a ck card, ncing at Zhou Xue with contempt. ¡°Zhou Xue, I advise you to be aware of what exactly you are doing.¡± A ck card? The sales assistant took the ck card from Qiao Nian reverently. There were only a handful of people in this city who owned such ck cards. So the young woman in front of her was a rich person! The people around them, who were watching the spectacle unfold, immediately understood. Why would someone who could afford a ck card even care about the small amount of shares in other people¡¯s hands? Such a rich and pretty youngdy could just wave her hand, and a bunch of handsome men would probably fall to her feet! ¡°This youngdy is really rich. That Zhou Xue must be ndering her!¡± ¡°Exactly. Everyone knows that a ck card holds more wealth than a small country!¡± ¡°Why would a rich youngdyck a boyfriend? What a joke!¡± ¡­ Zhou Xue¡¯s expression grew darker and darker as she heard the mutterings of the people around her. Her gaze fell on the ck card in Qiao Nian¡¯s hand. Her eyes bulged and she shouted, ¡°You are a thief! Tell me, where did you steal that ck card from?¡± The sales assistant had just swiped the ck card. Smilingly, she indicated for Qiao Nian to carry out fingerprint authentication. Qiao Nian casually ced her finger on the device. Zhou Xue¡¯s eyes were fixed on the fingerprint machine in the sales assistant¡¯s hands. The error report she had pictured did not appear. ¡°Miss Qiao, this is your card!¡± The ck card disyed the owner¡¯s surname on the screen. The sales assistant smiled and handed the ck card to Qiao Nian respectfully. Qiao Nian calmly ced the ck card back into her bag. Her movements were unhurried, and the people crowding around her saw that there was another ck card in her bag! Everyone was stunned. It was all their first time seeing someone who owned two ck cards. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Qiao Nian spoke to the sales assistant beside her. ¡°Miss Zhou Xue here has framed me for stealing. Please call the police!¡± The sales assistant smiled and nodded. However, before she did so, she still called the security guards over. She waited for the security guards to subdue Zhou Xue before she called the police. Within 15 minutes, the police would arrive! Zhou Xue flew into an instant panic. She was a nurse in the First Hospital. If the people in the hospital knew that she had ndered someone, they might chase her out of the hospital. Zhou Xue turned to look at Qiao Xin, who was standing not far away. In desperation, she cried out, ¡°Xin Xin, save me! I can¡¯t be arrested!¡± Even if she hadn¡¯tmitted any crime, her future would be ruined as long as she was arrested! Qiao Xin had initially wanted to take the opportunity to slip away, but when she heard Zhou Xue calling her, she hesitated. For a long moment, Qiao Xin stood rooted to the ground, unmoving. In the end, she hardened her resolve and turned to leave. Qiao Nian looked at Qiao Xin¡¯s departing figure and gave a faint smile. She walked to a nearby stool and sat down, crossing her legs elegantly as she waited for the police to arrive. She nced at Zhou Xue and asked, ¡°Where did your good friend go?¡± At this moment, Zhou Xue felt as if the sky had copsed. She looked at Qiao Nian in a daze, bit her lip and said fiercely, ¡°Qiao Nian, you framed me. You will die a horrible death!¡± Qiao Nian looked at the unrepentant Zhou Xue and silently took out her mobile phone to send a message to Old A. Chapter 24 - 24 Not Holding Back ?24: Not Holding Back 24: Not Holding Back Editor: As Studios In this city, the Zhou family name barely held any weight. Zhou Xue often used to fool around, so her grades were not good. In the end, through the machinations of her father, she studied nursing in university and became a nurse. In university, Zhou Xue did not study hard either. She would watch dramas and y games all day. After she graduated, she became a nurse in the best hospital only with the help of her father¡¯s connections. Her father continually reminded her to work hard. In the future, he expected her to marry a rich man as well. Zhou Xue looked at the security guards standing to her left and right. She felt that her world was about to copse. If her father knew that she had been arrested, he would definitely beat her to death. Zhou Xue¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. She hated Qiao Nian with all her heart, and yearned to tear her to shreds. But now, her only option was to beg Qiao Nian for help. ¡°Sister.¡± Zhou Xue stepped in front of Qiao Nian shakily. With a ttering smile on her face, she said ingratiatingly, ¡°Sister, I was in the wrong this time. You¡¯re the bigger person; why don¡¯t you forgive me just this once?¡± The moment Zhou Xue¡¯s words fell, the police arrived. Qiao Nian briefly exined what had happened. The police officer gave Zhou Xue a severe dressing down, then looked at Qiao Nian and said, ¡°Miss Qiao, regarding whether this matter should be settled privately or not¡­ we suggest that you settle it privately. After all, this matter¡­¡± The police were too embarrassed to say that this was likely just a misunderstanding. But when they thought about how Zhou Xue had used Qiao Nian of stealing the ck card, they realized that the ck card had more than 100 million in savings. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you¡¯d like to settle it officially. After all, this matter involves a ck card!¡± the police officer said with a serious expression. Seeing Qiao Nian looking toward him, he said tentatively, ¡°Why don¡¯t the two of you have a private chat? Miss Qiao can make a decision after that.¡± Qiao Nian thought about Zhou Xue¡¯s words just now and nodded. She took a seat on a chair nearby. Zhou Xue trembled as she walked towards Qiao Nian under the policeman¡¯s encouragement. Her mind was in a daze and all she could think about was how to get out of the situation. ¡°Sister.¡± Zhou Xue stood in front of Qiao Nian and bowed perpendicrly. Her tears of grievance fell as she said, ¡°Sister, I was in the wrong. Please forgive me!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Zhou Xue¡¯s face and her lips curved into a bright smile. ¡°Zhou Xue, there¡¯s no enmity between us, right?¡± Zhou Xue straightened her back hesitantly and nced at Qiao Nian¡¯s face. She quickly lowered her gaze to hide the hatred in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to reconcile with you,¡± Qiao Nian said impassively. She knew that Zhou Xue had no intention of admitting her mistake. With that, she got up and walked towards the policemen. ¡°Are you crazy!¡± Zhou Xue grabbed Qiao Nian¡¯s arm and red daggers at her, her eyes red-rimmed. She pursed her lips and shouted in a rage, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, it¡¯s all your fault! Why can¡¯t you let others speak the truth?¡± Qiao Nian calmly pushed Zhou Xue¡¯s hand away, signaling for the police to take her away. The police officers nced toward Zhou Xue. There was a strange light in Zhou Xue¡¯s eyes, and she seemed as though she wanted to eat Qiao Nian alive. The police officers didn¡¯t expect this youngdy to still have a face full of hatred. She simply didn¡¯t know how to repent! Qiao Nian watched as the police took Zhou Xue away. Then, she took her new clothes home. On the way back, Qiao Nian saw that Old A had replied to her message. She asked curiously, ¡°What are you busy with? It took you so long to reply!¡± Soon, Old A sent a text back. ¡°I just got up from bed. I was ying video games, so I slept tootest night!¡± Qiao Nian pursed her lips. She no longer knew what to say to Old A. ¡°Help me investigate two people, Li Chun and Zhou Xue, especially regarding that day five years ago, plus their whereabouts after that.¡± Five years ago, Qiao Nian went drinking with her good friend Li Chun in a KTV room. In the end, she got drunk and fainted! Before Qiao Nian lost consciousness, she saw Qiao Xin pass Li Chun a sum of money. Li Chun soon disappeared from Country Z. When she was in the mental hospital, she had tried to investigate Li Chun¡¯s whereabouts, but she found nothing. After that, she gave up investigating Li Chun. When she saw Zhou Xue today, the memories hidden deep in Qiao Nian¡¯s mind were finally roused. That night, she thought she had seen Zhou Xue as well. Her memories were a little blurry. She seemed to remember Qiao Xin and Zhou Xue entering the KTV room together, but she also seemed to remember Qiao Xin entering the room herself. There seemed to be something wrong with her memory, which was why she wanted Old A to help her conduct the investigation. After getting an affirmative reply from Old A, Qiao Nian turned off her phone and went to buy a car. It took her a long time to hire a taxi today, and she didn¡¯t want to have to repeat the experience again. Qiao Nian drove home and parked her car outside the vi. She then walked in with her new clothes. Once she got home, she took a shower, then washed both her new clothes and old clothes. She put on her soft pajamas, and settled down to read her books on medicine. At this moment, her phone rang. Qiao Nian looked at the caller ID and smiled. She picked up the phone and greeted, ¡°Teacher Liu.¡± Chapter 25 - 25 Banquet ?25: Banquet 25: Banquet Editor: As Studios ¡°Nian Nian, S University is holding a banquet tonight. Doctor Wang from the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine will be attending too. Aren¡¯t you interested in this field? You could speak to him.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s smile widened. After thanking Teacher Liu and asking for the address, she took out a dress and dried it in the dryer, then put it on and headed out. Butler Zhao, who was carrying a tter of fruits, saw that Qiao Nian was about to leave the house. She looked at Qiao Nian in surprise and asked, ¡°Second Young Madam, it¡¯s already sote. Where are you going?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a banquet I¡¯m nning to attend. I might be back quitete tonight.¡± Qiao Nian stepped out in her high heels, no longer paying Butler Zhao any attention. Butler Zhao¡¯s face clouded over as she watched Qiao Nian leave. A thought seemed to strike her, and she took out her cell phone to call Gu Zhou. Qiao Nian drove to the university, parked her car outside and walked in. When she arrived at the banquet hall, Qiao Nian saw that Teacher Liu had not yet arrived. She started eating dessert alone. Qiao Xin and her boyfriend, Su Yan, appeared at the entrance of the banquet hall. Su Yan studied medicine, and Qiao Xin was invited as his date. Qiao Xin held Su Yan¡¯s arm affectionately. She could tell that he was a little nervous, and spokefortingly. ¡°Brother Yan, don¡¯t worry. You will definitely be chosen by Dr. Wang!¡± On the surface, this banquet was just aworking event for the big shots in the medical field, but in fact, it was for Dr. Wang to select a few young doctors to participate in his cancer research project. Su Yan was one of the most handsome gentlemen in An City. He had a good family background, a good education, and good looks. For countless girls, Su Yan represented the ideal boyfriend. Su Yan was quite different from the other rich young heirs in An City. He was obsessed with the field of medicine and had a straightforward nature. Many medical professors praised him for his talent and intelligence, saying that would definitely achieve great things within the field of medicine in the future. Back then, Qiao Xin had seen how close Qiao Nian was with Su Yan. She had always liked to steal what Qiao Nian had, so she confessed to Su Yan in public and made him her boyfriend. Qiao Xin and Su Yan were casually having a bite in the banquet hall when her gazended on her sister not far away. She whispered, ¡°Brother Yan, I see my sister. I¡¯ll go greet her!¡± Qiao Xin had only been with Su Yan for such a long time because she hadn¡¯t found a better man yet. Su Yan was momentarily stunned when he heard Qiao Xin¡¯s words. He followed her gaze and saw Qiao Nian wearing a white evening gown, casually eating some refreshments. He felt a wave of disgust, and averted his gaze in displeasure. Qiao Xin naturally sensed Su Yan¡¯s change in attitude and she hurriedly consoled him. ¡°Brother Yan, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to tell Sister that you will be attending tonight.¡± In other words, Qiao Nian was here for Su Yan. Su Yan¡¯s eyebrows knit tightly together, his frown growing deeper. He didn¡¯t think that being missed by a lunatic was anything to be proud of. He turned away and replied lowly, ¡°Go ahead!¡± Five years ago, Su Yan was discussing medicine with Qiao Nian. He felt that Qiao Nian wasn¡¯t too bad a person. Later on, he heard from other people that there was something wrong with her character. Not only did Qiao Nian announce to everyone that she was his girlfriend, but she also bullied her weaker ssmates. Because of this incident, the value of Su Yan¡¯s schrship was deducted. He had spoken to Qiao Nian about this and exined the situation to her, asking her to stop spreading rumors. But Qiao Nian pretended to be ignorant and even argued that she didn¡¯t do anything. Her innocent look made Su Yan want to throw up. However, two dayster, Qiao Nian wrote him a letter and booked a room for the two of them. When Qiao Nian returned to school, she went around frantically looking for Li Chun, and even set fire to his desk. After that, Qiao Nian was diagnosed with a mental illness and sent to the hospital. Su Yan had thought that Qiao Nian would have a clearer mind after recuperating in the hospital for five years. He didn¡¯t expect her to continue pestering him, almost akin to a ghost haunting its murderer. Su Yan walked to the door in frustration. He was about to light a cigarette when his gazended on the man not far away from him. He immediately put on a polite smile. It was Gu Zhou! He was the most famous man in An City! Even though Su Yan didn¡¯t care about his family¡¯s affairs, his parents had always told him to be polite to Gu Zhou even when Su Yan was a child. That man wasn¡¯t someone the Su family could afford to offend. ¡°Second Young Master Gu.¡± He strode towards Gu Zhou. Seeing the other man stop, Su Yan smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Su Yan.¡± Gu Zhou stared coldly at the man in front of him for a while, then recalled that this man was indeed Su Yan. He gave an impassive grunt, then seemed to have thought of something, asking in a hoarse voice, ¡°What time does the banquet start?¡± Su Yan saw Gu Zhou¡¯s brief nce toward the banquet hall, and instantly understood. ¡°It starts at 8 p.m. Second Young Master Gu cane backter!¡± Gu Zhou didn¡¯t reply. With his hands in his pockets, he turned and left with Chen Qing. Su Yan gazed at Gu Zhou¡¯s retreating back as he left. His eyes sparkled with admiration. Chapter 26 - 26 Doting ?26: Doting 26: Doting Editor: As Studios Su Yan¡¯s bad mood vanished in an instant. He walked calmly into the banquet hall and saw Qiao Xin looking for him. He walked towards Qiao Xin and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± Qiao Xin pursed her lips and smiled. She turned to nce at Qiao Nian with a guilty expression. ¡°Brother Yan, I¡¯m really sorry for making things difficult for you. No matter what, she¡¯s my sister. I¡­¡± As Qiao Xin spoke, her eyes grew red-rimmed. She began to sob softly. Su Yan took out a tissue and gently wiped Qiao Xin¡¯s tears away. Softly, he said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry. Don¡¯t me yourself for other people¡¯s mistakes.¡± ¡°Thank you, Brother Yan.¡± Qiao Xin sniffled and whispered, ¡°My sister¡¯s emotional state is quite stable now, but let¡¯s not mention what happened five years ago in front of her. I¡¯m afraid she¡­¡± Qiao Xin didn¡¯t have to continue her sentence. Su Yan knew what Qiao Nian could do. Back then, Qiao Nian had burned down an entire school building! At the thought of this, Su Yan silently drew Qiao Xin into his embrace. Back then, people had cast me on Qiao Xin behind her back for what Qiao Nian had done. His heart ached as he said, ¡°I know. You¡¯re too kind. Back then, she even tried to say that you were the one who burned down the school building. Why do you still consider her feelings?¡± ¡°S-She¡¯s my older sister!¡± Qiao Xin lowered her gaze, saying pitifully Right now, Qiao Xin hoped that Qiao Nian would keep a distance from Su Yan. She wasn¡¯t sure what Mr. Jade Pendant looked like and whether his family was rich. She had to keep Su Yan in her clutches until then. Qiao Nian stood at a distance, slowly nibbling at her pastry. Seeing the pretentious act Qiao Xin was putting on, she couldn¡¯t help but frown. Su Yan. An ordinary yet overconfident man who kept insisting that she liked him. Qiao Nian was sure that there was something wrong with his brain. To be precise, he was too narcissistic! Seeing that it was about time for the banquet to start, Qiao Nian stopped eating. She wiped her mouth clean and walked towards the door. Seeing Qiao Nian walking over, Qiao Xin looked at her nervously. Su Yan looked at Qiao Nian with a face full of disgust. He thought to himself that if Qiao Nian tried to talk to him, he would refuse to reply. Qiao Nian walked past Qiao Xin, ignoring her panicked expression. She walked towards the door and her gazended on the male professor who had just walked in. ¡°Teacher Liu.¡± Qiao Nian walked up and greeted, smiling. ¡°Nian Nian, you¡¯re here. I have something to tell you. Come here!¡± Teacher Liu said, bringing Qiao Nian to the side of the banquet hall. Su Yan had wanted to greet Teacher Liu, but when he saw his attitude towards Qiao Nian, he hesitated. Teacher Liu was famous for being taciturn. Su Yan didn¡¯t understand why Teacher Liu treated Qiao Nian so gently¡ªhe even had a smile on his face. His brow furrowed deeper and deeper. Just as he was contemting chasing after the two of them, a group of people arrived at the door. Su Yan turned to see the medical professors from the university entering the banquet hall with Doctor Wang. There were a great number of professors who wanted to participate in Doctor Wang Shuo¡¯s research project. ¡°Teacher Wang!¡± Su Yan pushed Qiao Xin away and strode towards Wang Shuo, smiling. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Su Yan.¡± Wang Shuo had taught Su Yan a few sses in the past. When he saw Su Yan approaching, he smiled and greeted him. Then, he nced at the hall and continued, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talkter. I have errands to run.¡± ¡°Teacher Wang, please go ahead!¡± Su Yan replied politely, beaming brightly. After greeting Su Yan, Wang Shuo strode towards Teacher Liu. Su Yan watched by the side as Qiao Nian spoke to Teacher Wang and Teacher Liu. Hidden in his pocket, his right fist was clenched tightly. He had never expected Qiao Nian to gain the attention of the two teachers! ¡°Teacher Liu, long time no see!¡± Wang Shuo went up to Teacher Liu, shaking his hand. Teacher Liu gave a bright smile. He greeted Wang Shuo politely before introducing Qiao Nian to Wang Shuo. ¡°Teacher Wang, this is my disciple, Qiao Nian.¡± Qiao Nian smiled and greeted, ¡°How do you do, Teacher Wang!¡± Wang Shuo gave Qiao Nian a nce-over. His gaze fell on Teacher Liu¡¯s face, and he asked curiously, ¡°Is she the disciple you¡¯ve been so proud of?¡± ¡°Yes. I was thinking of letting her join your research project this time round. After all, this is a rare opportunity!¡± Teacher Liu knew that Wang Shuo¡¯s research project was extremely important. Furthermore, this project was well-funded, so Qiao Nian could take the opportunity to learn more. ¡°You¡¯re willing to let her go?¡± Wang Shuo smiled and looked toward Teacher Liu. While Wang Shuo studied Chinese medicine, Teacher Liu studied Western medicine. ¡°She can learn even more from you. Why don¡¯t you take her along for the project? Or, we could give her a test right now.¡± Teacher Liu had absolute faith in Qiao Nian, so he was not at all worried that Qiao Nian would not be able to answer Wang Shuo¡¯s questions. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Previously, Wang Shuo had already heard from his good friend that Qiao Nian was really gifted in medicine. He looked at Qiao Nian kindly and said, ¡°The day after tomorrow, just look for me at the research institute.¡± ¡°Thank you, Teacher Wang.¡± Qiao Nian had a pleasant disposition to begin with. Coupled with her exquisite outfit and makeup, she looked like a sunny youngdy. Anyone looking at her would have been unable to summon the tiniest bit of disgust. Chapter 27 - 27 An Ordinary Yet Overconfident Man ?27: An Ordinary Yet Overconfident Man 27: An Ordinary Yet Overconfident Man Editor: As Studios Wang Shuo said a few more words to Teacher Liu before leaving to greet the others. Fussing a little, Teacher Liu gave Qiao Nian a few more reminders. Finally, he said, ¡°Study well under Doctor Wang. He is very talented in Chinese medicine.¡± ¡°Thank you, Teacher. It must have been difficult making ns for me.¡± Qiao Nian looked at Teacher Liu gratefully. If Teacher Liu had not gone against public opinion, she would not have been able toplete her PhD. ¡°Why are you being so polite? I¡¯m your teacher. Of course I have to n for you.¡± Teacher Liu really wanted to continue taking Qiao Nian under his wing, but he had already taught Qiao Nian everything he had learnt in medicine. ¡°Alright, this matter is settled. I¡¯ll leave first. If you need anything, look for me.¡± Smiling, Qiao Nian walked Teacher Liu to the entrance of the banquet hall. She wanted to continue seeing Teacher Liu off, but Teacher Liu refused. ¡°You¡¯ll be studying under Teacher Wang soon. He¡¯ll be the one teaching you. You don¡¯t need to send me off.¡± Teacher Liu smiled. He gave Qiao Nian a few more reminders, then left. Qiao Nian turned around and entered the banquet hall. The moment she entered, she saw Wang Shuo waving at her. Qiao Nian walked over, smiled and greeted, ¡°Teacher Wang.¡± She obediently stood still. ¡°Su Yan, this is Qiao Nian. She¡¯s Teacher Liu¡¯s inner disciple. Do study well with her in the future.¡± Wang Shuo nced at Su Yan with a cold expression, then he turned to Qiao Nian, a bright smile overtaking his features. ¡°Has Teacher Liu returned home?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Qiao Nian replied, smiling. The smile on her face faded when she thought of Teacher Liu¡¯s health. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your Teacher Liu is blessed by the heavens. He will definitely be fine.¡± Wang Shuo spoke a few words offort, then turned to leave. Qiao Xin and Zhou Xue stood some distance away, eating refreshments. Seeing Qiao Nian and Su Yan standing together, Zhou Xue frowned. ¡°Xin Xin, is that b*tch Qiao Nian here to look for Su Yan on purpose?¡± Zhou Xue had been taken to the police station, and the Zhou family had to spend money to bail her out. Her father was so furious that he refused to give her any allowance for the next two months. Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes gleamed. Her eyes darted to the side and she said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. This is a banquet for medical students. Why is she here?¡± With those words, Zhou Xue instantly understood. Qiao Nian had been sent away before she finished her first year at the university. Apart from Su Yan, no one else here today would have been her ssmate! ¡°I¡¯ll go speak to her!¡± Zhou Xue thought of how she had been thoroughly embarrassed in the shopping mall. This time, she had to regain her dignity. Although Qiao Xin had abandoned her back then, Qiao Xinter exined the situation to Zhou Xue. Qiao Xin had wanted to go to the Qiao residence to seek reinforcements, but when she saw Zhou Xueing out of the police station, she felt immensely guilty. Aspensation, Qiao Xin gave Zhou Xue 100,000 yuan. After Zhou Xue received the 100,000 yuan, her anger dissipated somewhat. With immense generosity, Zhou Xue forgave Qiao Xin. Qiao Xin even invited her to this banquet, saying that she hoped for Zhou Xue to find a boyfriend soon. Zhou Xue walked up to Qiao Nian in her high heels and looked at her, brimming with arrogance. She said furiously, ¡°How dare you attend this banquet? Don¡¯t you have any shame? You¡¯re not even a student of S University. You¡¯re a lunatic. Don¡¯t you feel ufortable here?¡± Su Yan turned around and walked towards Qiao Xin. Every second he spent around Qiao Nian was utter torture. ¡°Was being arrested not enough for you?¡± Qiao Xin raised her eyebrows and looked at Zhou Xue with a smile, saying lightly, ¡°Do you want to go in there again?¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, how could I have been arrested? You b*tch!¡± Zhou Xue raised her hand, ready to p Qiao Nian¡¯s face. ¡°Pa!¡± Without waiting for Zhou Xue to make a move, Qiao Nian pped her first. Zhou Xue stumbled, copsing onto a table nearby. Drinks and pastries were strewn all over the floor, and her gown was stained. With that, Zhou Xue had drawn the attention of everyone in the banquet hall. Qiao Xin looked worriedly at Zhou Xue. She pursed her lips and said anxiously, ¡°Sister hit Xue¡¯er during the day, and now she¡¯s hit Xue¡¯er again. This¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look!¡± Su Yan didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with Qiao Nian, but he frowned when he saw that Zhou Xue had been hit. In the past, Qiao Nian put on a meek facade. Now, much to Su Yan¡¯s disbelief, not only did she stop pretending, but her mental illness had worsened. She actually hit someone in public! ¡°How dare you hit me!¡± Zhou Xue red at Qiao Nian viciously, as if she wanted to swallow Qiao Nian whole. Qiao Xin walked to Zhou Xue¡¯s side and took out a tissue to help her wipe her face. She said worriedly, ¡°Xue¡¯er, are you okay? Oh my god, you¡¯re bleeding!¡± Seeing Qiao Xin step out to defend her, tears of grievance fell from Zhou Xue¡¯s eyes. Su Yan shielded Qiao Xin and Zhou Xue behind him. He red at Qiao Nian and said in disgust, ¡°Qiao Nian, I¡¯ve told you many times that I don¡¯t like you. Please stop disturbing me!¡± Chapter 28 - 28 Misunderstood ?28: Misunderstood 28: Misunderstood Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian did not seem to have heard him speak. Her gaze was still slightly lowered as she toyed with the ring on her finger. Her nails were pink and glossy. The whole image made one feel warm, as if all the chaos had nothing to do with Qiao Nian. Su Yan frowned when he saw that Qiao Nian was paying him no heed. He stepped forward and said, ¡°Qiao Nian, I know that you¡¯vee out from a mental hospital. I advise you to quit Teacher Wang¡¯s project as soon as possible. Otherwise, it won¡¯t look good for you if your past is exposed!¡± Everyone in the banquet hall gasped when they heard Su Yan¡¯s words. Many of them were here for Dr. Wang¡¯s project. Some of them wanted to join the project, some wanted to invest in the project, and others wanted to discuss other projects with Dr. Wang. Su Yan¡¯s words made it clear to everyone that Qiao Nian was a lunatic who had already been selected by Doctor Wang. ¡°So this person is actually from a mental hospital!¡± ¡°How can Dr. Wang work with such a person?¡± ¡°If Dr. Wang brings her into the project, I¡¯m worried that my investments might go down the drain!¡± ¡­ Qiao Nian didn¡¯t even bat an eyelid as she listened to the discussion taking ce around her. Scornfully, she strutted over to Su Yan in her high heels and looked straight into his eyes. As if the matter was of little importance, she spoke. ¡°ssmate Su, do you think I¡¯m not fit to participate in Teacher Wang¡¯s project?¡± Hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Zhou Xue didn¡¯t bother waiting for Su Yan to respond. Haughtily, he replied, ¡°At least you know your ce. I advise you to leave this project as soon as you can. If anything happens in the future, you won¡¯t be able to bear the consequences!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze lingering on Zhou Xue¡¯s face as she spoke. ¡°Haven¡¯t you learnt your lesson by now? Do you still want another p?¡± ¡°You were only in university for half a semester and you didn¡¯t even get your diploma! What right do you have to join Dr. Wang¡¯s project?¡± Su Yan red at Qiao Nian coldly. The more he looked at her, the more disgusted he felt. He hoped that he would never see her again in his life. Su Yan had just finished speaking when a sweet-looking girl with two symmetrical ponytails stepped forward. She nced at Qiao Nian and sneered. ¡°You must be Senior Qiao Nian. I¡¯ve heard your name everywhere since I entered university. I heard that you slept with many men in your ss, and you¡¯re a sex addict. Aren¡¯t you mentally ill as well? You didn¡¯t even get your diploma. How are you qualified to participate in Teacher Wang¡¯s project?¡± Before Qiao Nian could speak, Wang Tian continued her interrogation. ¡°Or did you use other unsavory means to secure a ce? For example, your body?¡± The people crowding around were looking at Qiao Nian differently now. It was impossible for a mentally ill patient to be a doctor. Doctor Wang had been discussing the project with a friend in a corner of the room. When he heard themotion, he walked over and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Su Yan had always prided himself on being a humble gentleman. He hesitated to speak up. But Zhou Xue was different. Zhou Xue hated Qiao Nian¡¯s guts for sending her to the police station, so she immediately stood up and exined the situation. ¡°Teacher Wang, Qiao Nian has only attended one semester of sses. She was locked up in the mental hospital after that, and she was just released a short while back. You can¡¯t let someone like this participate in your project!¡± When Wang Tian heard Zhou Xue¡¯s words, she immediately nodded in agreement. ¡°Grandfather, you must not let a mentally ill person join our projects. If anything goes wrong with this project, then everyone else¡¯s efforts will be wasted!¡± As Wang Tian spoke, she gave Qiao Nian a vicious re. ¡°Yes, Teacher Wang. Qiao Nian is still mentally ill. She has never even studied medicine before, not properly. You can¡¯t let her participate in your project. If she makes a mistake, it will bring harm to your entire team!¡± Zhou Xue quickly added. In the past, Dr. Wang had only heard from Teacher Liu that Qiao Nian was talented in the field of medicine. He didn¡¯t know Qiao Nian very well either. After listening to what everyone around him had to say, he frowned and asked, ¡°Qiao Nian, is all this true?¡± ¡°Actually, I already have a P¡ª¡± ¡°Sister.¡± Qiao Xin cut in, looking at Qiao Nian with teary eyes. She sniffled and said in a shaking voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go home. Do stop fooling around!¡± Although Qiao Xin didn¡¯t say explicitly that Qiao Nian was mentally ill, every word she spoke made it clear to everyone present that Qiao Nian had a mental illness! Qiao Nian turned to look at Qiao Xin and frowned slightly. Just as she was about to exin the situation to Dr. Wang, she heard Dr. Wang say coldly, ¡°Qiao Nian, don¡¯t follow me around anymore!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s expression darkened slightly as she exined, ¡°Teacher Wang, I¡¯ve already graduated with a PhD!¡± When Zhou Xue heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, the corner of her lips curved up slightly. Sheughed scornfully and said, ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯d better go back to the mental hospital and recuperate properly, lest youe out and embarrass yourself!¡± Chapter 29 - 29 A Lunatic ?29: A Lunatic 29: A Lunatic Editor: As Studios All the onlookers were staring at Qiao Nian. They were all smiling disdainfully. ¡°How can a lunatic be a doctor?¡± ¡°Keep your voice down. She must be hallucinating as a doctor.¡± ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s truly pitiful. She¡¯s so pretty. Too bad there¡¯s something wrong with her brain.¡± ¡­ Sensing the skepticism aimed at her from all directions, Qiao Nian said, ¡°Teacher Wang, I¡¯ve published theses in multiple universities. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check!¡± Doctor Wang nced at Qiao Nian suspiciously. She was clearly a youngss in her twenties, but her aura was no less strong than that of a man in his forties or fifties. Could Qiao Nian be telling the truth? Doctor Wang was starting to have doubts. Sizing Qiao Nian up, he was about to speak when he heard Zhou Xue¡¯s voice. ¡°Qiao Nian, you must really have an exaggerated opinion of yourself. Your name is so ordinary¡ªthere are tons of people with the exact same name. Your mental illness must be getting worse and worse. Now, you¡¯re even starting to make up falsehoods!¡± Zhou Xue clicked her tongue twice and shook her head, her face full of disdain. The surrounding onlookers also began tough at Qiao Nian mockingly. Qiao Nian turned to look at Zhou Xue and smiled. ¡°Zhou Xue, you¡¯re not a medical student, are you?¡± The smile on Zhou Xue¡¯s face froze. ¡°Teacher Sun, do your legs ache often?¡± Qiao Nian asked indifferently, ncing at Teacher Sun, who was standing a distance away. Teacher Sun nodded in confusion. His legs had only started aching in the past two days. They had never ached before that. How did Qiao Nian know? Seeing Teacher Sun nod, everyone nced toward Qiao Nian in disbelief. ¡°Teacher Feng, do you frequently have headaches?¡± Qiao Nian spoke with certainty. Everyone turned to look at Teacher Feng. Seeing Teacher Feng nod as well, they looked at Qiao Nian strangely. ¡°Teacher Zhang, has your liver been unwell?¡± Qiao Nian asked. Everyone thought that there was no way Qiao Nian could have guessed correctly this time. One by one, they looked toward Teacher Zhang expectantly. When they saw Teacher Zhang nod, they were all so shocked that their jaws nearly dropped to the ground. Doctor Wang looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief. He had thought that Qiao Nian was a lunatic with no medical training at all. But now that didn¡¯t seem to be the case! How was Qiao Nian aware of each teacher¡¯s health problems? Zhou Xue sensed that everyone¡¯s opinion of Qiao Nian had shifted. She said disdainfully, ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯re really good at spouting nonsense. I was wondering why you didn¡¯t talk to anyone after you arrived. So you¡¯ve just been eavesdropping!¡± Zhou Xue¡¯s words were ingenious. What she implied was that Qiao Nian was only able to identify which teachers were feeling unwell because she had eavesdropped on their conversations. When Doctor Wang heard Zhou Xue¡¯s words, he secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He knew it. How could a mentally ill patient possess medical skills? Doctor Wang¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. He said, ¡°Qiao Nian, you don¡¯t have to exin anymore. I understand now. I know that your illness is very serious. There should be a psychiatrist present. I¡¯ll get them to take a look at you.¡± At that moment, a loud voice resounded from the doorway. ¡°Who dares to bully my disciple!¡± Teacher Liu had been preparing to return home, but he soon realized that he had forgotten to pass Qiao Nian¡¯s doctoral diploma to her, so he returned to the banquet. When he saw everyone talking about Qiao Nian¡¯s illness, his expression darkened. ¡°Teacher!¡± Qiao Nian called when she saw Teacher Liu enter. Teacher Liu looked at Qiao Nian with heartache. Out of all his disciples, he was the proudest of her. Yet, she was rumored to be a mentally ill patient! This had gone too far! When Doctor Wang saw Teacher Liu, he hurriedly said, ¡°Teacher Liu, that¡¯s not what I meant. Why don¡¯t you treat your disciple¡¯s illness first?¡± ¡°What exactly is her illness?¡± Mr. Liu looked toward Dr. Wang with a sour expression. Upon seeing Teacher Liu¡¯s displeased expression, Doctor Wang began to bristle as well. He had trusted Teacher Liu so much, but he never expected Teacher Liu to foist a lunatic upon him! The more Doctor Wang thought about it, the angrier he became! ¡°She just came out of the mental hospital!¡± Doctor Wang spoke, forcibly suppressing his anger. He turned to look at Qiao Nian. ¡°Tell your teacher yourself! Did you, or did you not, juste out of the mental hospital!¡± Qiao Nian gave Doctor Wang an indifferent nce. Doctor Wang felt a little ufortable under her gaze and turned his head to the side. ¡°Where would she go to study psychiatry, if not a mental hospital?¡± Mr. Liu was so angry that his face and neck were flushed red. He red at Doctor Wang coldly. He had never expected Doctor Wang to say that his disciple was a lunatic, especially when he had just entrusted his best disciple to Dr. Wang. ¡°She has already graduated with a doctorate. Which of you here said that my disciple has never studied medicine?¡± Zhou Xue was surprised by Teacher Liu¡¯s words. ¡°Qiao Nian is only 24 years old this year! How is that possible?¡± ¡°Why not? Do you think she¡¯ll only graduate with a doctorate at the age of 30 like you idiots?¡± Teacher Liu questioned, his expression dark. Chapter 30 - 30 Offense ?30: Offense 30: Offense Editor: As Studios Everyone present was dumbfounded. They felt offended. Most of them had only graduated at 30 years old! They red at Teacher Liu angrily. Teacher Liu had graduated with a doctorate at the age of 26. They did not expect Teacher Liu¡¯s disciple to be even more formidable. She graduated at the age of 24! Zhou Xue turned bright red in embarrassment. She seemed to have recalled something, and hurriedly spoke. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. You must be having an improper rtionship with her. Otherwise¡­¡± ¡°Pa!¡± Qiao Nian walked up to Zhou Xue and gave her a brutal p across the face. Then, she took out a tissue and began to slowly wipe her hands, making sure every finger was pristine. When she spoke, her voice was as clear as a stream. ¡°How dare you nder my teacher? You¡¯re too brazen.¡± ¡°Nian Nian, it¡¯s because you¡¯re usually too low-profile. This is why people misunderstand you!¡± Teacher Liu took out Qiao Nian¡¯s PhD diploma from his bag, handing it to her. ¡°Congrattions, Addie, you¡¯ve graduated early. Now, which hospital do you want to work at?¡± Addie! There was an uproar. Everyone was shocked! Everyone present had heard of this name, Addie. This person was a rising star in the medical field and had once won a world-renowned medical award. However, this person maintained a very low profile. All the doctors in Country Z knew that she was a woman, but none of them knew anything else. None of them could have guessed that Addie and Qiao Nian were one and the same. ¡°Thank you, Teacher Liu. I haven¡¯t decided.¡± Qiao Nian had initially wanted to go to Doctor Wang¡¯s hospital to join his project, but now she had changed her mind. ¡°Impossible! You can¡¯t be Addie!¡± Su Yan strode towards Qiao Nian and yelled, ¡°You have got some nerve! How dare you impersonate her?¡± Su Yan had always treated Addie as a beacon he strove towards. He had always tried his best to be on par with her, but he had never expected the person he admired for so long to actually be Qiao Nian, the woman he despised the most! Su Yan hated Qiao Nian more than anyone else in the world. That woman pretended to be innocent and acted like she knew nothing, but she hadmitted so many despicable acts! Qiao Xin frowned. She didn¡¯t know why everyone was looking at Su Yan with disdain. She tugged at Zhou Xue¡¯s sleeve, her voice quavering as she spoke. ¡°Sister, you¡¯ve told such a big lie. What will you do if it¡¯s exposed?¡± When Zhou Xue heard Qiao Xin¡¯s words, her eyes darted to the side. Immediately, she stepped forward. She said loudly, ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. Do you think you can take on Addie¡¯s identity just by iming to be her? How dare you lie in front of everyone? Qiao Nian, your mental health is truly deteriorating. You should go to the hospital as soon as possible!¡± At this moment, Qiao Nian¡¯s cell phone began to ring. Qiao Nian took out her cell phone and ced it beside her ear. She couldn¡¯t hear the other party¡¯s voice. ¡°Hello, who¡¯s speaking?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really Addie!¡± The white-haired Director Zhao, who oversaw the school of medicine, stepped out of the crowd. He looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief, his lips trembling slightly as he eximed, ¡°I saved your phone number in the past! I¡­¡± Director Zhao¡¯s phone was still ced next to his ear. He had only been testing out a theory just now, but he had not expected Qiao Nian to really be Addie. Qiao Nian smiled. She greeted, ¡°Director Zhao.¡± ¡°This is impossible, you can¡¯t be Addie!¡± Zhou Xue seemed to have lost her mind. She didn¡¯t expect that Qiao Nian¡¯s name would be cleared. Her voice trembled as she spoke. ¡°You clearly¡­ you¡­¡± ¡°Who¡¯s mistreating my wife?¡± A cold voice came from the doorway. The temperature in the banquet hall seemed to have dropped by a few degrees. Everyone turned to look toward the door. They saw a man in a well-tailored suit entering the banquet hall, his stance elegant and his steps unhurried. The moment he stepped in, he attracted everyone¡¯s attention. A select few of the people present recognized him. One by one, the gazes of the young female students present all turned shy, as though they had be girls with a crush. They had never seen such a handsome man in their lives. His face was like the most perfect masterpiece bestowed by heaven. They were unable to take their eyes off him. Qiao Nian stood there calmly. She frowned slightly when she saw Gu Zhou walking towards her. Why was he here? Gu Zhou walked unhurriedly in front of Qiao Nian. In a natural motion, he put his arm around Qiao Nian¡¯s waist, tugging her towards him. His narrow phoenix eyes swept coldly across everyone present. ¡°Honey, who bullied you?¡± Hearing Gu Zhou¡¯s words, the onlookers were all stunned. Their gazes lingered on Qiao Nian and Gu Zhou¡¯s faces. They had never expected Gu Zhou to marry Qiao Nian. Teacher Liu was also stunned. He blinked in confusion, pushing his sses up his face. He asked calmly, ¡°Nian Nian, when did you get married?¡± ¡°Teacher, my husband and I registered our marriage a few days ago. We haven¡¯t held our wedding yet. We had important matters to settle just now during the banquet, so I haven¡¯t had the chance to tell you yet.¡± Qiao Nian exined with a smile. In her heart, she had already scolded Gu Zhou a few times over. She did not know what Gu Zhou was up to. She couldn¡¯t believe that he hade to the banquet, and even made their rtionship public. Chapter 31 - 31 When Is The Divorce ?31: When Is The Divorce 31: When Is The Divorce Editor: As Studios Hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Teacher Liu nodded in understanding. Although he was getting old, he knew that young people nowadays would typically register their marriage before holding a wedding. It was different from Teacher Liu¡¯s era. In fact, among everyone present, Qiao Xin was the one who was most upset. She looked at Qiao Nian in utter shock. She had never expected Gu Zhou to stand up for Qiao Nian. Qiao Xin nced up at Gu Zhou. Sensing the coldness radiating from him, she couldn¡¯t help but shiver. By her side, Su Yan was staring at Gu Zhou in shock, his lips pressed together. He had made a mistake. He had never expected Qiao Nian to marry Gu Zhou. What should he do now? Su Yan recalled how he had insulted Qiao Nian over and over again. His father had repeatedly exhorted him to get along well with the Gu family, but now, he had offended Qiao Nian. If Qiao Nian told Gu Zhou what he had said, he would¡­ Su Yan¡¯s face turned paler and paler. He wanted to seize the opportunity to retreat quietly from the scene, but there were many people standing behind him. He had no choice but to stand still. ¡°Which of you here said that my wife is mentally ill?¡± Gu Zhou asked coldly. Zhou Xue had never seen Gu Zhou before, so she naturally didn¡¯t know who Gu Zhou was. She only felt that this man had a foul aura around him. Frowning, she stepped forward. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by Qiao Nian. She¡¯s not a good person at all!¡± Zhou Xue spoke firmly, ¡°She was really a patient in the mental hospital!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Gu Zhou gave Zhou Xue a cold nce, then spoke to Chen Qing, who was standing not far away. ¡°There seems to be something wrong with thisdy. Take her away.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Chen Qing responded. He walked forward to take Zhou Xue away. Zhou Xue¡¯s expression changed. She said anxiously, ¡°Who are you? Don¡¯t touch me!¡± As soon as Zhou Xue finished speaking, Chen Qing knocked her out without hesitation. Swiftly, he carried her out of the banquet hall. When Teacher Liu saw that the troublemaker had left, he smiled at Qiao Nian and said, ¡°That annoying little girl has finally left. The entire hall has finally quietened down.¡± Everyone thought to themselves, ¡°Of course it¡¯s quiet. No one dares to speak!¡± Seeing Gu Zhou walk over, Dr. Wang put on a fawning smile and said, ¡°Second Young Master Gu, how do you do!¡± Gu Zhou raised his eyebrows slightly. He did not seem to recognize the man in front of him. ¡°I am Wang Shuo. I thank the Gu family for investing in this research project.¡± Wang Shuo smiled eagerly and extended a hand to Gu Zhou, wanting to shake his hand. Gu Zhou didn¡¯t shake hands with Wang Shuo. Instead, he turned to gaze at Qiao Nian gently, speaking in a low voice. ¡°If you need anything in the future, just ask for my help directly. It¡¯s useless to ask these shady people for help. After all, they clearly can¡¯t understand people of high intelligence, like you.¡± Everyone: Do you think we¡¯re all dunces? Wang Shuo¡¯s hand hovered awkwardly in midair. He did not dare to retract it. Teacher Liu agreed with Gu Zhou. He said approvingly, ¡°Nian Nian, if you want to continue studying Chinese medicine, then¡­¡± ¡°Honey, why didn¡¯t you just tell me that you wanted to work in aboratory? We can just build aboratory.¡± Gu Zhou gazed at Qiao Nian dotingly, his voice gentle. Hearing Gu Zhou¡¯s words, Qiao Nian gave a sweet smile. ¡°Thank you, Hubby.¡± Gu Zhou then turned to look at Wang Shuo and continued, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I want to withdraw my investment.¡± The color on Wang Shuo¡¯s face instantly drained away. He felt as if the sky was copsing! Qiao Nian, too, was privately stunned. She didn¡¯t know why Gu Zhou had changed so much. In the past, Gu Zhou didn¡¯t even want to interact much with her. After a while, Gu Zhou brought Qiao Nian out of the banquet hall. Seeing that Qiao Nian was still holding her PhD diploma, he said, ¡°Your mentor likes you a lot.¡± ¡°Teacher Liu is a good person.¡± Qiao Nian looked down as she spoke, her voice impassive. Actually, Teacher Liu was aware that her family had locked her up in the mental hospital on purpose. He would often send her lesson materials, and meticulously answered any questions she had regarding medicine. Gu Zhou had asked other people to investigate the rtionship between Qiao Nian and Teacher Liu. Seeing that they had nothing to do with the rest of those people, he was relieved. ¡°Can you treat my illness?¡± Gu Zhou asked calmly, his arm still around Qiao Nian¡¯s waist. ¡°Yes, I can try.¡± Thinking about Gu Zhou¡¯s illness, Qiao Nian said thoughtfully, ¡°Gu Zhou, when do you n to divorce me?¡± The flirtatious atmosphere between the two of them instantly vanished. A gust of wind blew, causing Qiao Nian to feel a little cold. Qiao Nian did not receive any response from Gu Zhou. She smiled and said to him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll continue to treat your illness after the divorce.¡± ¡°Divorce?¡± Gu Zhou gave Qiao Nian a cold look, his eyes filled with ice. ¡°I will never divorce you!¡± Qiao Nian stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Gu Zhou, blinking in confusion. Under the silvery moonlight, her small face looked even fairer. Qiao Nian¡¯s lips parted slightly in confusion. ¡°Why?¡± Chapter 32 - 32 Not an Outsider! ?32: Not an Outsider! 32: Not an Outsider! Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian felt that something was wrong. Shouldn¡¯t Gu Zhou be eager to divorce her? Just then, Lin Nan walked over with a folder in his hand. He greeted politely, ¡°Second Young Master, Second Young Madam.¡± ¡°Secretary Lin.¡± Seeing that Lin Nan was hesitating to speak, Qiao Nian prepared to find an excuse to leave. ¡°Just say it here!¡± Gu Zhou gave Qiao Nian a meaningful look, then looked toward Lin Nan calmly. ¡°She is not an outsider.¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou with aplicated expression, frowning slightly. She stood there with her head lowered, trying to reduce her presence as much as possible. ¡°I¡¯ve withdrawn the investment in Wang Shuo¡¯spany. Second Young Master, I¡¯ve bought that new medicalpany too. The renovations will start tomorrow,¡± Lin Nan said respectfully. At Lin Nan¡¯s words, Gu Zhou nodded with satisfaction. He turned to Qiao Nian and said, ¡°Would you like to visit the researchpany tomorrow?¡± Qiao Nian nodded nkly. The more she spent time with Gu Zhou, the more she found herself puzzled by him. When they returned to the house at night, Gu Zhou did not request for Qiao Nian to sleep with him. Qiao Nian privately heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly ran back to her room. Qiao Nian loungedzily on the bed after taking a shower. When she thought of Gu Zhou¡¯s strange behavior tonight, she couldn¡¯t help but frown. She knew that no matter what she asked, Gu Zhou wouldn¡¯t say anything if he didn¡¯t want to. The next day, Qiao Nian was reading a book on medicine at home. When she heard from Butler Zhao that Matriarch Gu had returned, she closed the book and walked downstairs. ¡°My darling girl, you¡¯re finally here.¡± Matriarch Gu smiled at Qiao Nian and said gently, ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± Qiao Nian smiled and nodded. ¡°Today is Madam Shen¡¯s 70th birthday. Come with me to her birthday banquet. I¡¯ve already prepared the birthday gift for you!¡± Matriarch Gu smiled at Qiao Nian. In a tone that left no room for argument, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to select a gown first, then bring you to the stylist. Then, you¡¯ll be able to visit the Shen family tonight.¡± The Shen family? Qiao Nian lowered her gaze. Could it be Shen Yue¡¯s family? That night five years ago, when she was in a daze, the person supporting her seemed to have met Shen Yue along the way. Qiao Nian had asked someone to contact Shen Yue in the past, but Shen Yue seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind. How odd. Both Li Chun and Shen Yue had disappeared after that incident five years ago. Li Chun came from an ordinary family. The Qiao family would only need to raise a finger, and Li Chun would naturally be unable to fight back. But Shen Yue was different. Shen Yue was the eldest daughter of the Shen family. The Qiao family did not have the ability to do anything to Shen Yue. If they did, the Qiao family would have easily been ruined five years ago. What went wrong? Qiao Nian¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°My darling?¡± ¡°Grandma.¡± Qiao Nian came back to her senses. With a warm smile on her face, she gazed unblinkingly at Matriarch Gu. Matriarch Gu grasped Qiao Nian¡¯s hand and patted it gently. She said softly, ¡°I know you¡¯ve never attended such an event before. You must be afraid. But don¡¯t worry. With Grandma around, no one can bully you!¡± ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡± Qiao Nian smiled. Qiao Nian left the house with Matriarch Gu. In the car, she secretly sent a text to Old A, asking him to continue investigating Shen Yue. In the past, Qiao Nian had attended several banquets with Su Xue. At that time, she was still young, and she had grown up in the countryside. Every time Su Xue tossed her a gown, she would change into it, and that would be all! After that, she was locked up in the mental hospital, and rarely appeared at any social events. Last night was her first time attending a school banquet. That banquet was mainly aworking event, so it did have high standards for make-up or style. However, the Shen family¡¯s birthday banquet was different. Matriarch Gu led Qiao Nian to the store and asked the service staff to help Qiao Nian pick a gown. Qiao Nian had always been the kind of person who preferred staying at home most of the time. After choosing a dress, she would try it on and buy it if there were no problems. But today, she couldn¡¯t. When Qiao Nian came out of the fitting room wearing the twentieth dress, she was so exhausted she could have copsed. She stood in front of the fitting room mirror and looked at herself, not understanding the differences between each of the dresses. ¡°This one looks good!¡± Matriarch Gu, who was sitting on the sofa, saw that Qiao Nian was wearing a light blue gown that hugged her waist. The back of the dress extended all the way to her ankles and the front to her knees. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Matriarch Gu said to the service staff, ¡°This one will do!¡± Qiao Nian secretly heaved a sigh of relief. She had already been picking a dress for two hours. The morning was almost over. Smiling, the service staff paid Qiao Nian a fewpliments, and didn¡¯t forget to issue the bill. Matriarch Gu walked in a circle around Qiao Nian. This gown made her look even more elegant, fitting Qiao Nian¡¯s aura perfectly. Matriarch Gu said admiringly, ¡°This gown seems to be tailor-made for you.¡± Qiao Nian smiled lightly. Lowering her gaze, she said, ¡°Grandma, may I change out of it now?¡± ¡°Alright, you may!¡± Matriarch Gu nodded in satisfaction. Chapter 33 - 33 Investigation ?33: Investigation 33: Investigation Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian heaved a sigh of relief and swiftly changed out of her gown. Initially, Qiao Nian had thought that that would be the end of it. However, by the time afternoon rolled around, she realized that this morning was just the beginning of her preparations for the banquet. Matriarch Gu had hired a makeup artist to help her with her makeup. Four hourster, Qiao Nian changed into a gown, her makeup immacte, and made her appearance at the Gu family vi. Matriarch Gu¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. Qiao Nian¡¯s beautiful eyes were clear and bright, like those of a forest deer, making it impossible for one to look away. When Qiao Nian appeared at the Shen family¡¯s banquet, everyone was stunned. She looked like a fairy maiden from the heavenly realm, pure and wless. She was so perfect that no one quite dared to touch her. Qiao Xin stood next to Su Xue, her hands clenched into fists. Her nails dug into her palms as she red at Qiao Nian with hatred. She yearned for Qiao Nian to disappear from this world. Five years ago, she managed to destroy Qiao Nian after much effort. She didn¡¯t expect Qiao Nian to bounce back. However, she was going to make Qiao Nian hit rock bottom tonight. When Qiao Nian got together with other men at Madam Shen¡¯s birthday banquet, she wanted to see if Gu Zhou would still want her! Qiao Xin lowered her gaze, worried that others would see the hatred in her eyes. She initially wanted Zhou Xue to do it, but Gu Zhou had sent Zhou Xue to the mental hospital, so Qiao Xin could only get others to help. Matriarch Gu had brought Qiao Nian to the banquet today to let everyone know that Qiao Nian was now the Second Young Madam of the Gu family. It was also a show of support for Qiao Nian. Matriarch Gu wanted everyone to forget about Qiao Nian¡¯s past! Zhao Qian was wearing a white gown. When she went to pick out a gown today, she saw her great aunting out of the dress shop with Qiao Nian. Zhao Qian recalled that her great aunt used to go with her to pick out dresses in the past. Today, not only did she not do so, but she also did not bring her along to the banquet. Seeing Matriarch Gu exchange greetings with Matriarch Shen, Zhao Qian obediently walked up to Old Madam Gu and greeted sweetly, ¡°Great Aunt!¡± When Matriarch Gu saw Zhao Qian, the smile on her face widened. She said softly, ¡°Qian Qian, you¡¯re getting prettier!¡± ¡°Thank you for yourpliment, Great Aunt!¡± Matriarch Gu turned to look at Qiao Nian, her eyes gentle. Speaking in a soft voice, she said, ¡°Go somewhere else and have fun. Call me if you need anything!¡± Qiao Nian had initially wanted to leave to ask the other members of the Shen family about Shen Yue anyway, so she nodded in assent. Matriarch Gu nced at Zhao Qian and instructed, ¡°Take your Second Sister-inw somewhere else to y!¡± Zhao Qian led Qiao Nian out of the room sullenly. Her face was expressionless as she said, ¡°I¡¯ve never been here before either. You can hang out here by yourself!¡± With that, Zhao Qian left, betraying no emotions. After leaving, Zhao Qian bumped into her friends. They stood together, chatting andughing. Zhao Qian secretly kept an eye on Qiao Nian, who was not far away. In the beginning, Qiao Nian stood where she had left her, scrolling through her cell phone. After a while, she went up to the second floor. Seeing that, Zhao Qian began to sneak after her quietly. In a room beside the bathroom on the second floor. Zhao Qian hid herself in the room. She pushed the door slightly ajar. From afar, she saw Qiao Nian talking to a man in the bathroom. Strange. How could a woman like Qiao Nian be acquainted with other men? Zhao Qian wanted to move closer and eavesdrop on Qiao Nian¡¯s conversation with the man, but she thought that she might expose her identity if she did so. She could only remain hidden where she was. In the bathroom. ¡°Doctor Qiao, you and Matriarch Gu¡­¡± Shen Mo lowered his gaze, looking at the youngdy in front of him. His words were a little hesitant. The news about Qiao Nian had long since spread in their social circle, but he had never believed that she would marry Gu Zhou. ¡°Young Master Shen, where has your cousin Shen Yue gone?¡± Qiao Nian could not find out where Shen Yue was. Her only hope was to get information about Shen Yue from Shen Mo. At Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Shen Mo¡¯s heart, which had been in his throat, gradually settled back down. Clearing away his private conjectures, he said in a low voice, ¡°She¡­ she went overseas to study.¡± ¡°Which country is she in? Do you have her contact information?¡± Qiao Nian asked eagerly. If the Shen family wanted to hide someone, it would be an easy task. Shen Mo looked at Qiao Nian in confusion. Softly, he asked, ¡°Miss Qiao, you¡­¡± ¡°I would like to consult Shen Yue regarding some matters. I didn¡¯t see Miss Shen Yue downstairs just now, so¡­¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s expression took on a tinge of disappointment as she spoke. ¡°As you know, I¡¯ve been trapped in a mental hospital all this time. In the past, I couldn¡¯t sneak out of the hospital in case my family found out. This dy hassted for five years!¡± At Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Shen Mo frowned slightly and said, ¡°Miss Qiao, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help you ask.¡± ¡°Thank you, Young Master Shen.¡± Shen Mo looked at Qiao Nian¡¯s faint smile and the dimples in her cheeks. He could not help but smile in return. ¡°Doctor Qiao, you¡¯re too polite. I still have to thank Doctor Qiao for saving my life back then!¡± Chapter 34 - 34 Plotted Against ?34: Plotted Against 34: Plotted Against Editor: As Studios ¡°That was in the past, Young Master Shen. You shouldn¡¯t feel obliged,¡± Qiao Nian said as she tucked her hair behind her ear. She saw someone approaching from afar. ¡°Young Master Shen, please excuse me!¡± Shen Mo nodded slightly. Qiao Nian walked towards the stairs in her high heels. Along the way, she passed by Qiao Xin, but left without even turning to look at her. Qiao Xin gave Qiao Nian a strange look. She had wanted to speak to Qiao Nian, but seeing Qiao Nian ignore herpletely, she couldn¡¯t be bothered to speak up. She would just be snubbed anyway. Qiao Xin walked towards the bathroom. When she saw Shen Mo, she smiled and greeted, ¡°Young Master Shen.¡± Shen Mo nodded elegantly in response. He walked towards the stairs, his expression nk. Zhao Qian, who had been hiding in the room, saw that Qiao Nian and Shen Mo had left. Only then did she step out of the room, frowning. Zhao Qian mused to herself. Shen Mo and Qiao Nian had met up privately, without anyone else knowing. Could it be that they were having an affair? As she thought about this, Zhao Qian¡¯s eyes lit up. If Brother Gu Zhou knew that Qiao Nian was together with another man, he would definitely divorce her. When that happened, she could marry Brother Gu Zhou! Zhao Qian regretted not taking a photo of Shen Mo and Qiao Nian together. If she had, she could have sent it to Brother Gu Zhou. However, she felt that Qiao Nian would definitely meet Shen Mo again. Qiao Nian went downstairs. Sitting alone, she began to eat quietly. After a while, her phone buzzed. She unlocked her phone and saw that Old A had sent Shen Yue¡¯s information over. The information that Old A had found covered all the same bases, but Shen Yue¡¯s information was still only from five years ago. In the end, the words ¡°whereabouts unknown¡± indicated the time she had disappeared. Frustrated, Qiao Nian took a sip of her wine, then calmed down. Her only hope was with Shen Mo. After a while, a maid passed by Qiao Nian with a tray of drinks and said in a low voice, ¡°Young Master Shen is waiting for you by the pool!¡± Qiao Nian nced at the maid¡¯s retreating back. She stepped out of the vi. After leaving the vi, Qiao Nian felt that the whole world had be much quieter. At longst, she no longer needed to listen to the cordial yet wholly insincere conversation of the people inside the house. The Shen family¡¯s garden was quite big. If Qiao Nian hadn¡¯t asked the servants beforehand, she might have gotten lost. She walked over to the pool. Seeing that there was no one around, Qiao Nian grew doubtful. At this moment, a figure walked over from afar. Qiao Nian turned around and saw a dreadful-looking man walking towards her. ¡°Hey, gorgeous! Are you waiting for me?¡± The man looked at Qiao Nian lewdly. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed in his throat as he rubbed his hands together. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. Come with me, we¡¯ll have fun together!¡± Qiao Nian spun around. She was about to leave when she saw a youngdy in a gown standing behind her. The youngdy was holding a bat in her hand. Without hesitation, she brought the bat down on Qiao Nian¡¯s head. Did someone set her up? Qiao Nian was already holding aa-inducing drug in her hand. Without hesitation, she threw the drug in the girl¡¯s face and was about to leave when the man walked up to the girl, grabbing hold of her. ¡°Miss, what happened? Are you alright?¡± The man looked at the youngdy anxiously. Qiao Nian immediately turned to walk towards the vi. From afar, she saw many people walking out of the vi. She had no choice but to hide in a dark corner. Could someone have set her up? Qiao Nian looked towards the side of the pool. The youngdy had thrown herself into the man¡¯s arms. The two of them were entangled together in a fit of passion. Something was wrong. The drug she gave the girl would only have made her unconscious. Qiao Nian suddenly recalled that when she left, she had smelled the fragrance of the girl¡¯s perfume. It seemed to be mixed with some other scent. It was a lust drug! The powdered drug should have been on the gown that the youngdy was wearing. The drug would take effect immediately after touching the skin, and someone standing one meter away would also be aroused by the smell. If Qiao Nian wasn¡¯t wrong, someone must have invited the youngdy and the man to the pool at the same time. If Qiao Nian had smelled the scent of love powder, she might be locked in an embrace with the two of them now. What a vicious scheme! Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on the group of peopleing out of the vi. Zhao Qian was at the front, Qiao Xin was at the back, and there were a few socialites in between that Qiao Nian didn¡¯t recognize. Qiao Nian¡¯s expression darkened. She took out her cell phone and took a photo of the six of them. It must have been one of them who had nned this. Qiao Xin, Zhao Qian, and the others walked to the pool, only to glimpse the youngdy and the man having sex. ¡°Ah!¡± Zhao Qian¡¯s scream rang out, frightening away all the birds in the garden. ¡°Don¡¯t scream!¡± Qiao Xin covered Zhao Qian¡¯s mouth and said softly, ¡°Right now, we should pretend that we didn¡¯t see anything. Let¡¯s get out of here!¡± Zhao Qian nodded, dazed. Just as she was about to leave, she saw many servants running over towards them. Her expression instantly turned ugly! Chapter 35 - 35 Framed ?35: Framed 35: Framed Editor: As Studios ¡°What should we do? Someone¡¯sing!¡± Zhao Qian was at her wits¡¯ end. Although she had meant no harm, if others found out that Miss Shen Xing was fooling around with a man in public, Shen Xing would definitely bear a grudge against her. So would the entire Shen family. A trace of panic shed in Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes. She had initially thought that Qiao Nian would also be present, but contrary to her expectations, there was only Shen Xing, together with a wretched man. This was terrible. If Matriarch Shen knew that Qiao Xin had caused Shen Xing to ruin her purity in front of everyone, then the Qiao family¡­ This wouldn¡¯t do. She could not allow the Qiao family to fall into danger. Seeing a socialite taking out her phone to record the scene, Qiao Xin seemed to have thought of something. She turned to leave, but saw Qiao Nian looking at her meaningfully from not far away. Qiao Xin quickly looked away, not daring to meet Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. Slowly, she pressed her slender fingers to her temple and copsed to the ground weakly, pretending to faint. Zhao Qian had wanted to ask Qiao Xin for help. Seeing Qiao Xin faint, she hurriedly shouted, ¡°Qiao Xin! Qiao Xin, what¡¯s wrong? Wake up!¡± When the socialite heard Zhao Qian¡¯s words, she turned to look at Qiao Xin, who was now lying on the ground. Just as she was about to speak, a servant hurried over. ¡°What happened?¡± Butler Shen looked at Qiao Xin, lying prone on the ground. Just as he finished speaking, he heard the sound of making love from not far away. He looked over and saw his family¡¯s Third Young Mistress sitting naked on a man, bouncing up and down. ¡°Miss!¡± At this moment, Butler Shen had no time to pay any attention to the person lying on the ground. He quickly ran toward the two people locked in an embrace on thewn. When he saw that his family¡¯s Young Mistress waspletely naked, his expression instantly soured. He immediately took off his suit jacket, draping it on Shen Xing¡¯s body. ¡°Go away!¡± Shen Xing was already wholly under the control of the lust drug. She pushed away Butler Shen, who was trying to pull her off the man, and flung away the suit jacket. She then threw herself onto the man in excitement. Butler Shen had no choice but to knock Shen Xing out and forcibly take her away. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Along with many others, Matriarch Shen rushed to the scene. When she saw Shen Xing in Butler Shen¡¯s arms, her gazended on Shen Xing¡¯s bare legs. In that instant, she understood everything. She shouted sternly, ¡°Butler, what¡¯s going on?¡± Matriarch Shen was known for being strict with her children. However, on this special day, her granddaughter actually had sex in front of everyone. How could she tolerate this! Matriarch Shen gripped her walking stick tightly. In order to protect the Shen family¡¯s reputation, she could only let Shen Xing suffer. ¡°Wake her up!¡± Matriarch Shen pointed at Shen Xing and said furiously, ¡°And that man, bring him over!¡± Butler Shen sshed pool water on Shen Xing, waking her up from hera. He then tied the man up and threw him in front of Matriarch Shen. ¡°Ah!¡± When Shen Xing woke up, she discovered that she was only wearing a suit jacket. The suit jacket barely covered her thighs. If she moved slightly, she would be exposed in public. She clutched at the jacket in a panic, her face red with embarrassment and fear. Shivering, she curled in on herself. Everything that had just happened reyed in her mind. It was over! It was all over! Shen Xing drew a cold breath. How could she be so desperately eager to be with a man like Ah San? No, she couldn¡¯t possibly be so wanton. Shen Xing suddenly remembered that Qiao Nian had sprinkled some powder on her earlier. Her eyes lit up and she immediately shouted, ¡°Grandma, please save me! I¡¯ve fallen into someone¡¯s trap!¡± When the onlookers heard Shen Xing¡¯s words, they all expressed their disbelief. One by one, they began to mutter softly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Young Mistress Shen to be so uninhibited.¡± ¡°Who knew? Young Mistress Shen¡¯s amorousness has truly broadened my horizons!¡± ¡°I heard that it was Young Mistress Shen who pounced on the servant. That poor servant. He might lose his job because of Miss Shen.¡± ¡­ Matriarch Shen had already thought of how to punish Shen Xing. However, when she heard Shen Xing¡¯s words, her eyes flickered. Ever since she was a child, Shen Xing had grown up by Matriarch Shen¡¯s side. Although Shen Xing was arrogant and willful, she would never do such an outrageous thing. ¡°Tell me, what really happened?¡± Hearing the discussion of the surrounding onlookers, Matriarch Shen spoke sternly, her eyes as cold as ice. Qiao Nian stepped in slowly from the other side. She looked at Qiao Xin, who was still lying on the ground, and casually stepped on Qiao Xin¡¯s hand. Seeing that Qiao Xin remained unmoving, she stepped again on the back of Qiao Xin¡¯s hand, her expression nk. Qiao Nian thought to herself, ¡°Let¡¯s see who¡¯s better at acting!¡± ¡°Grandma, you have to uphold justice for me!¡± With tears running down her face, Shen Xing pointed at Qiao Nian in the crowd, shouting loudly. ¡°It¡¯s Qiao Nian! She¡¯s the one who wants to harm me!¡± Matriarch Gu was standing beside Matriarch Shen. At Shen Xing¡¯s words, her expression immediately soured. Without waiting for Matriarch Shen to speak, she said, ¡°Miss Shen, you have to take responsibility for your words. My granddaughter-inw would never do something so despicable!¡± Chapter 36 - 36 Outrageous ?36: Outrageous 36: Outrageous Editor: As Studios Matriarch Shen and Matriarch Gu had always been close. At Matriarch Gu¡¯s words, Matriarch Shen¡¯s expression turned ugly as well. Shen Xing stood rooted to the spot, stunned. Her face was extremely pale, and her lips were trembling. She swallowed nervously. What was Matriarch Gu trying to say? Was she trying to say that she was framing Qiao Nian? Shen Xing was about to take a step forward, but sensed that any movement would lead to a wardrobe malfunction. She had no choice but to stand on the spot, ring at Qiao Nian viciously. She had initially wanted to harm Qiao Nian, but she had never expected that she herself would end up getting into trouble! She knew very well that if she didn¡¯t cast the me on Qiao Nian, her future would be ruined. ¡°Qiao Nian, are you the one who drugged me? If you have any courage at all, then step forward!¡± Shen Xing yelled. She was determined to make sure that Qiao Nian was utterly destroyed. If she couldn¡¯t ruin Qiao Nian, then her name wasn¡¯t Shen Xing. Once again, everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. There was no one present who didn¡¯t know who Qiao Nian was. The moment Qiao Nian made her appearance at the banquet, she immediately became familiar to everyone present. Qiao Nian stood there calmly, her lips pursed into a straight line. Looking at Shen Xing coldly, Qiao Nian began to walk towards her. Wherever she walked, the crowd parted automatically. Qiao Nian met Shen Xing¡¯s resentful gaze fearlessly, her red lips curving upwards. It was as though she was telling Shen Xing that if shemitted any more unjust acts, she would bring about her own destruction! Shen Xing looked into Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes, and a tinge of panic shed through her mind. She gripped the sleeves of the suit jacket uneasily, her heart beating wildly. At this moment, Matriarch Shen¡¯s eldest son, Shen Ming, arrived at the scene as well. Shen Ming was Shen Xing¡¯s biological father. Shen Ming stood rooted to the ground. Behind his gold-rimmed sses, his dark eyes were filled with shock. He had no idea how to react. That was his youngest daughter. She had been pampered and spoiled ever since she was young, but he never expected Shen Xing to do something so shameless in public. In Shen Ming¡¯s pocket, his right hand clenched into a tight fist. He willed himself not to explode. Shen Xing saw that her father was at the scene as well. She had been on the verge of breaking down, but now her emotions quietened. Her tears fell uncontrobly, glittering strangely under the streetlights. ¡°Father.¡± Shen Xing gripped the suit tightly, still uneasy. The suit had been given to her by Butler Shen. Without Butler Shen¡¯s help, she could only stand there naked. The socialites who were usually on good terms with Shen Xing silently distanced themselves from her. They were afraid that they would bebeled as Shen Xing¡¯s good friend. If their reputations were affected by any gossip rted to Shen Xing, it would be difficult for them to get married in the future. Because of Shen Ming¡¯s arrival, the surrounding people no longer dared to gossip carelessly. After all, the status of the Shen family was clear to everyone. Who would dare to challenge the Shen family? If they did, it would be impossible to even remain in An City. ¡°What on earth did you do?!¡± Shen Ming¡¯s voice trembled with rage. He had never expected Shen Xing to do something so despicable. Shen Xing looked at her father as though she was looking at her life savior. Tears of grievance fell as she said, ¡°Father¡­ it¡­ it was Qiao Nian who set me up!¡± Shen Xing¡¯s words were like an explosive bomb, causing everyone to be dazed with shock. All the onlookers turned to look at Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian¡¯s expression was calm. She stood there nonchntly, as though she were a lotus flower which had sprouted from mud, yet remained wholly untainted. It was as if everything happening around her had nothing to do with her. Shen Ming and Matriarch Shen turned to look at Qiao Nian, their twin res like a pair of sharp swords. Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes turned cold. It seemed like the Shen family wanted her to be a scapegoat in order to clear Shen Xing¡¯s name. Following the other gentlemen, Su Yan arrived at the scene and saw Qiao Xin sitting at the side, her face pale. He walked towards her and asked worriedly, ¡°Xin Xin, what¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Qiao Xin looked up and shook her head gently. She turned to look at Qiao Nian, who was standing in the middle of the crowd some distance away. Adding fuel to the fire, Qiao Xin said, ¡°Sister is in big trouble. Shen Xing doesn¡¯t seem to like her at all.¡± Before Su Yan arrived, he had already seen thements in the group chat about how Qiao Nian had caused Shen Xing to lose her virginity. Now that he heard Qiao Xin¡¯s words, he was even more certain that Qiao Nian was indeed the culprit. Fortunately for him, he didn¡¯t get together with Qiao Nian back then. What a vicious woman! Su Yan nced at Qiao Nian. She still looked pure and innocent. Looking at her face, he felt nauseous. ¡°Father,¡± Shen Xing sobbed. ¡°You have to believe me¡­ It really was Qiao Nian. I¡­¡± Shen Xing cried until she was out of breath, but did not forget to direct me. Shen Ming looked at Shen Xing, who was sobbing heart-wrenchingly. Shen Xing had been born in her parents¡¯ter years, and Shen Ming had always doted on her the most. He looked toward Qiao Nian furiously and shouted, ¡°Qiao Nian!¡± Matriarch Gu looked at Qiao Nian worriedly. She stepped forward and said, ¡°I refuse to believe that my granddaughter-inw could be someone so despicable!¡± Shen Xing could no longer care about her status as a socialite. She took a step forward and pointed at Qiao Nian. ¡°She¡¯s escaped from the mental hospital!¡± Chapter 37 - 37 Refutation ?37: Refutation 37: Refutation Editor: As Studios The mental hospital? The onlookers were stunned. Even Matriarch Gu was stunned. She would never believe that her darling child hade out of a mental hospital. She quickly said, ¡°Miss Shen, you¡¯re clearly in the wrong, yet you still want to drag my granddaughter-inw into this. When we arrived, Qiao Nian wasn¡¯t even here!¡± As soon as Matriarch Gu said this, the people who had suspected that Qiao Nian was the culprit instantly fell silent. Indeed, they hadn¡¯t seen Qiao Nian. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that at all!¡± Shen Xing screamed like a shrew, her hair disheveled. ¡°Qiao Nian drugged me. She¡¯s the one who caused me to end up like this!¡± ring daggers at Qiao Nian, Shen Xing roared hysterically, ¡°You¡¯re a lunatic. You killed your good friend Li Chun and caused my sister to disappear off the face of the earth. Now, you¡¯re even trying to harm me! You¡¯re a demon from hell. You deserve to die and go to the eighteenth level of hell!¡± Everyone looked at Qiao Nian doubtfully, narrowing their eyes. Qiao Nian looked like a fairy maiden, innocent and gentle. At the thought that she could have killed someone in the past, they couldn¡¯t help but take a step back in fear. Li Chun was dead? Shen Yue was missing? Qiao Nian¡¯s face was expressionless, but her heart was already surging with emotions. She had never managed to find Li Chun. Why did Shen Xing say that Li Chun was dead? Qiao Nian walked gracefully to Shen Xing. Her gaze finallynded on the adulterer. She asked curiously, ¡°Miss Shen, who is this person?¡± Hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s voice, everyone¡¯s gazended on the adulterer. Previously, they had only wanted to watch the show, and hadpletely forgotten about the adulterer. ¡°Isn¡¯t he the Shen family¡¯s gardener?¡± A socialite who was not on good terms with Shen Xing said bluntly. ¡°Oh, I see. So he¡¯s the gardener of the Shen family,¡± Qiao Nian said casually, her beautiful eyes shining with a strange light. There was an aura of power around her. ¡°This is my first timeing to the Shen family. How did I collude with the gardener of the Shen family and let him ruin Miss Shen¡¯s innocence?¡± She was clearly only a youngdy in her twenties, but her aura was not in any way weaker than that of Shen Ming, who had been in the business world for thirty years. Qiao Nian¡¯s casual words easily extricated herself from Shen Xing¡¯s usations. There wasn¡¯t a single person present who didn¡¯t admire Qiao Nian. Seeing the challenge in Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes, Shen Ming walked in front of her and questioned, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a sharp-tongued girl? You¡¯ve been plotting behind our backs¡ªthere¡¯s no way you would admit to your deeds out loud!¡± Qiao Nian hadn¡¯t wanted to continue pursuing the matter, but after hearing Shen Ming¡¯s words, she knew that Shen Ming was trying to smear her reputation on purpose. Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she raised her brows and retorted, ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense without any evidence. Shen Xing, let me ask you. When did I drug you?¡± Before Shen Xing could speak, Qiao Nian continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t speak to you the entire night. How could you have fallen into my trap?¡± At this moment, a man hurried over from afar. It was none other than Shen Mo. Shen Mo had been helping Qiao Nian investigate Shen Yue¡¯s whereabouts. When he sneaked out of Shen Ming¡¯s office, he saw that there was no one left in the hall. Shen Mo took out his phone and saw that the WeChat group chat was already in an uproar. He could hear Shen Xing using Qiao Nian from afar. He could not help but frown. Shen Mo walked up to Qiao Nian and shielded her behind him. He said, ¡°Uncle, Miss Qiao is not that kind of person!¡± With the appearance of Shen Mo, those who initially believed in Qiao Nian¡¯s innocence began to doubt her as well. Qiao Nian had said that she wasn¡¯t familiar with the Shen family. Wasn¡¯t this a direct contradiction? Shen Ming was already very angry. He looked at Shen Mo with a surly expression and raised his hand to p Shen Mo. However, Shen Mo dodged the blow. ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s call the police!¡± Shen Mo said without changing his expression. He had faith that Qiao Nian was not that kind of person. Shen Ming found himself at a disadvantage. Even though Shen Xing¡¯s reputation had beenpletely ruined, he was still worried that the Shen family¡¯s reputation would be ruined as well. He shouted sternly, ¡°Shen Mo, how dare you help an outsider! Get out of my way! I¡¯m going to make this vicious girl suffer the consequences of her own actions!¡± ¡°Mr. Shen sure is arrogant!¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s deep voice resounded from the back of the crowd, his voice rising slightly. Upon hearing his voice, everyone was stunned for a moment. They turned their heads and looked over. Most people did not recognize Gu Zhou and began whispering to one another. Gu Zhou had a hand in his pocket. With two bodyguards behind him, he walked elegantly from the crowd to Shen Ming. There was a faint coldness at the corner of his lips and his eyes were slightly narrowed. He had a natural sense of alienation and indifference, and his entire body emitted a cold aura. When Shen Ming saw Gu Zhou, a trace of astonishment shed across his face. Frowning, he silently took a step back. Su Yan had coincidentally seen a photograph of Gu Zhou in the past. Seeing Gu Zhou approach, he knew that this farce would definitely end with the defeat of the Shen family. Chapter 38 - 38 He Will Protect Her ?38: He Will Protect Her 38: He Will Protect Her Editor: As Studios Seeing Gu Zhou appear, Qiao Xin shuddered involuntarily. Su Yan sensed that Qiao Xin wasn¡¯t feeling well. He looked at her worriedly and whispered, ¡°Xin Xin, if you¡¯re unwell, can I take you to the hospital?¡± Su Yan had never been interested in gossip. He felt that he might as well use the time to read more books. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine,¡± Qiao Xin said gently. How could she leave? She wanted to see Qiao Nian humiliated by Gu Zhou. Gu Zhou stood next to Qiao Nian. His facial features were well-defined, and he looked extremely distinguished. He raised his chin slightly, like a proud and aloof king. Someone recognized Gu Zhou and eximed, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the Second Young Master of the Gu family?¡± Everyone gasped and looked at Gu Zhou in disbelief. ¡°He¡¯s not ugly at all!¡± ¡°He¡¯s so handsome. I want to give birth to his child!¡± ¡°Oh dear, if I had known, I would have married into the Gu family!¡± ¡­ The socialites present murmured among themselves. The Gu family was the most powerful family in An City. No aristocratic family dared to go against the Gu family. Even though it was rumored that Second Young Master Gu was ugly and short-lived, many socialites still volunteered to marry into the Gu family. However, the Gu family did not find any of them suitable. Everyone stared at Gu Zhou. They knew that Gu Zhou was someone they could not afford to offend. Gu Zhou¡¯s tone seemed to indicate that he disapproved strongly of Shen Ming¡¯s actions. Although everyone knew that Qiao Nian was Gu Zhou¡¯s bride, they also knew that the two of them hadn¡¯t been married for long. Moreover, some people had heard that Gu Zhou didn¡¯t seem to like Qiao Nian. Otherwise, Gu Zhou would be the one bringing Qiao Nian to this banquet. Qiao Nian stood beside Gu Zhou. Lifting her eyes slightly, she nced at the cold aura surrounding Gu Zhou. She narrowed her eyes. She was curious about what Gu Zhou intended to do. ¡°Second Young Master, long time no see,¡± Shen Ming said through gritted teeth. He had wanted to make Qiao Nian take the me while Gu Zhou wasn¡¯t around. But by the looks of it, this n would no longer work. Gu Zhou lifted his eyes and looked at Qiao Nian. The coldness in his aura dissipated to a considerable extent as he said gently, ¡°Nian Nian, you¡¯re too good-tempered. That¡¯s why you get bullied.¡± Shen Ming felt like he had been pped in the face. He felt awkward and helpless, but he couldn¡¯t say anything because the Shen family still had to rely on the Gu family. Matriarch Shen looked at Qiao Nian with aplicated expression, then her gaze fell on Matriarch Gu, who looked gratified. Her heart skipped a beat. She did not expect Gu Zhou to stand on Qiao Nian¡¯s side. Matriarch Shen had already sent people to keep an eye on Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian. The information she received was that Gu Zhou didn¡¯t like Qiao Nian, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case now. Qiao Nian lowered her gaze. Obediently, she gave an affirmative response. Gu Zhou walked up to Matriarch Shen and Matriarch Gu and asked, ¡°Grandma, Madam Shen, how have you been?¡± Matriarch Shen¡¯s heart was in her throat. She had been living quite well, but her life would take a turn for the worse very soon. However, Matriarch Shen still had to follow the rules of etiquette. ¡°Thank you for your concern. I¡¯m fine. I just can¡¯t believe that such a thing has happened¡ªwhat will outsiders think!¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s cold gaze fell on Shen Ming¡¯s face. He continued, ¡°The events today have to be investigated thoroughly. We can¡¯t let outsiders make fun of us!¡± As Gu Zhou spoke, he gave Lin Nan a look. Wearing a well-tailored suit, Lin Nan looked around at the entire crowd. With a cold expression, he pushed his gold-rimmed sses up and said loudly, ¡°Everyone, please don¡¯t record any videos or take any photographs. If any videos are leaked tonight, I¡¯m afraid none of you will be able to attend banquets of this kind ever again!¡± Most of the guests here today were people with money and status in An City. Hearing Lin Nan¡¯s words, they weren¡¯t too annoyed and deleted the videos on their phones quietly. As for what they were discussing in the group chat, it hardly mattered anymore. After all, everyone in the group was present today, which meant that this incident would not be leaked to anyone else. Knowing that this matter would not spread further, Shen Ming secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He did not have the ability to openly threaten those people. Only Gu Zhou had the capability to do such a thing. Shen Ming looked toward the gardener and asked sternly, ¡°Useless thing, what¡¯s your name? Tell me the whole story!¡± ¡°My¡­ my name is Sun Jiu,¡± Sun Jiu said shakily. He lowered his head even more, his voice trembling. ¡°Tonight¡­ tonight¡­¡± Before Sun Jiu could finish speaking, Shen Xing spoke impatiently, ¡°Sun Jiu, do think this through carefully. Tell us the truth. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being rude!¡± When Sun Jiu heard Shen Xing¡¯s words, he couldn¡¯t help but tremble. He looked at Shen Xing with trepidation and pursed his lips slightly before saying, ¡°M-Miss Qiao gave me money to¡­¡± Upon hearing this, the corners of Shen Xing¡¯s lips turned up slightly. She looked at Qiao Nian with a haughty expression. Her eyes were vicious as she snapped, ¡°Qiao Nian, so it really was you!¡± Chapter 39 - 39 Being Taken Advantage Of ?39: Being Taken Advantage Of? 39: Being Taken Advantage Of? Editor: As Studios Lin Nan walked towards Sun Jiu, his expression calm. He gazed at Sun Jiu¡¯s face for a long while before he spoke. ¡°Mr. Sun, every word you say will be recorded. Please tell us everything that happened from the beginning. If we find out that you are lying, the consequences¡­¡± Lin Nan paused for a second and pushed his sses up. He continued, ¡°Thest person who lied¡­ his family is already begging on the streets. None of thepanies under the Gu family will hire him or any of his family members.¡± The blood drained from Sun Jiu¡¯s face. Most of thepanies in Country Z were rted to the Gu family. Even thosepanies who were not would still not hire them out of respect for the Gu family. Sun Jiu was so frightened that his legs gave way, and he sank to his knees. Naturally, Shen Xing knew Lin Nan was threatening Sun Jiu. Her heart skipped a beat. If she could not drag Qiao Nian down this time, her reputation would be ruined. However, beyond that, the entire Shen family would definitely be a thorn in the Gu family¡¯s side. If she had known this would happen, she wouldn¡¯t have targeted Qiao Nian in the first ce. But it was toote for regrets. Shen Xing wanted to kick Sun Jiu, who was kneeling beside her, but she was afraid that she would be exposed. She could only stand on the spot and re at Sun Jiu with a ferocious expression. She said furiously, ¡°I told you to tell the truth. Hurry up!¡± Shen Ming nced at Shen Xing with a peculiar expression before turning his gaze toward Sun Jiu, who was still kneeling. He had initially nned to make use of this opportunity to get Shen Xing and Sun Jiu engaged. However, it appeared that Sun Jiu wasn¡¯t someone who could be ced in a position of importance. Shen Ming only hoped that this matter would end as soon as possible. Then, he could send Shen Xing overseas and never allow her to return. Thus, he said, ¡°Xing Xing, you tell the story. You¡¯re not allowed to lie!¡± Shen Xing did not understand her father¡¯s good intentions. She continued to re at Qiao Nian angrily and berated loudly, ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯re so vicious. I didn¡¯t expect you to ruin my reputation. I know you¡¯re the Second Young Madam of the Gu family now, but I¡¯d rather die than submit to you!¡± Qiao Nian looked away with an impatient expression. She was not the least bit interested in what Shen Xing was saying. She nced at Shen Xing indifferently and said, ¡°Miss Shen, regarding what has happened tonight, I advise you to think carefully before you speak. Don¡¯t let anyone with ulterior motives take advantage of you!¡± Shen Xing¡¯s heart sank. Ulterior motives? Shen Xing subconsciously nced at Qiao Xin, who was sitting not far away. If Qiao Xin had not told her about those things, she would never have thought of going against Qiao Nian. Moreover, she wouldn¡¯t have known that Qiao Nian was the person who had hurt her older sister. Shen Xing saw that Qiao Xin had her head lowered. She nced back at Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian¡¯s indifferent expression seemed to be giving her onest chance. Was Qiao Xin trying to harm her? No, she was Young Mistress Shen. She had never interacted with Qiao Xin at all. Why would Qiao Xin do this to her? ¡°Miss Shen.¡± When Shen Xing heard Qiao Nian calling her, she looked toward her, still stunned. ¡°Miss Shen, your gown today is very unique. There¡¯s even a strange smell.¡± Qiao Nian felt that with Shen Xing¡¯s pig-like brain, she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to figure out what was going on. All Qiao Nian could do was help Shen Xing get there. Strange smell? Shen Xing¡¯s face turned paler and paler. She swallowed nervously and looked at Qiao Nian in panic. Turning to nce at Qiao Xin not far away, she saw that Qiao Xin was about to leave. Shen Xing shouted, ¡°Qiao Xin, stop right there!¡± Due to Shen Xing¡¯s warning, Gu Zhou¡¯s men immediately stopped Qiao Xin and Su Yan from leaving. A trace of panic shed in Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes before she reverted back to her gentle and weak facade. Su Yan helped her walk back. Zhao Qian stood at the side with a stunned expression. She nced at Qiao Xin, then at Shen Xing who was not far away. Her gaze fell on Shen Xing¡¯s gown hidden in the grass, and she cried out in surprise. Everyone looked at Zhao Qian in confusion. Seeing that Zhao Qian was hesitating to speak, Matriarch Gu waved at her and asked softly, ¡°Qian Qian, what¡¯s wrong? What do you have to say?¡± Before Zhao Qian could say anything, Shen Xing shouted at Qiao Xin, ¡°Qiao Xin, get over here! Let me smell you!¡± Even though Shen Xing was only wearing a suit jacket, the powerful aura radiating from her was still impossible to overlook. Her legs were tense. Seeing that Qiao Xin was dawdling on purpose, Shen Xing roared angrily, ¡°Qiao Xin, is your leg broken or what? Why are you walking so slowly? Do you need me to carry you over?¡± ¡°Young Mistress Shen, Xin Xin has just fainted. She isn¡¯t feeling well right now.¡± Su Yan frowned. He didn¡¯t understand why Shen Xing had asked Qiao Xin to go over. He didn¡¯t want Xin Xin to get hurt. Shen Xing had no time to waste on Su Yan. She pulled Qiao Xin over and sniffed her. She frowned, looking at Qiao Xin with aplicated expression. Qiao Xin coughed lightly and nced at Shen Xing confusedly, looking as if she were in pain. Chapter 40 - 40 Murderer! ?40: Murderer! 40: Murderer! Editor: As Studios Shen Xing red at Qiao Nian angrily. She was almost misled by Qiao Nian. She thought it was Qiao Xin who wanted to harm her. Now that she thought about it, if Qiao Xin had wanted to harm her, why would she use the same perfume as her? ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯re clearly the one who gave me the lust drug, yet you still want to implicate others. You¡¯re truly shameless!¡± Shen Xing yelled in exasperation. Previously, she had heard Qiao Xin mention how awful Qiao Nian was. ¡°You killed your good friend and made my sister disappear. Do you think no one knows what you¡¯ve done?¡± Shen Ming was slightly taken aback by Shen Xing¡¯s words. He asked in astonishment, ¡°Xing Xing, what did you say? Are you talking about Shen Yue?¡± ¡°Dad, Sister went missing because of Qiao Nian!¡± As soon as Shen Xing¡¯s words fell, chaos erupted. Everyone looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief. They never thought that this little-known young girl would have so many tricks up her sleeve. ¡°Where is Shen Yue?¡± Shen Ming¡¯s eyes had turned red, and he was panting heavily. Shen Yue was his most beloved daughter. Five years ago, Shen Yue had disappeared. He had been searching everywhere but could not find her! ¡°Miss Shen, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I didn¡¯t kill anyone, and I didn¡¯t kidnap your sister.¡± Qiao Nian paused, took out her cell phone and yed a video. The video was of Sun Jiu and Shen Xing trying to harm her. Qiao Nian looked at the clothes not far away and continued, ¡°Miss Shen, I¡¯ve only given you a slight dose of aa-inducing drug. There¡¯s definitely some on the outside of your clothes, but the inside of your gown is stained with a lot of lust powder. As long as the policee, they¡¯ll know if I¡¯m right!¡± When Butler Shen heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, he immediately walked to the clothes and sniffed. Then, he nodded at Shen Ming. ¡°Miss Shen, I only gave you the drug in self-defense. The drug I¡¯ve given you onlysts for a minute, and it will only make you dizzy for a little while,¡± Qiao Nian said expressionlessly. ¡°The thing that really made you lose your mind was the lust drug in your clothes. I don¡¯t have any enmity with you, and it¡¯s impossible for me to get to your gown before the banquet to add the lust drug. Someone should already have sprinkled it on your gown before you wore it.¡± The moment her words fell, everyone got excited. Qiao Nian¡¯s rebuke was truly amazing. Gu Zhou gave Qiao Nian an approving look and nodded slightly. Shen Xing looked at Qiao Nian in frustration. Her face was flushed red as she said angrily, ¡°Since you knew that there was a lust drug in my clothes, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Qiao Nian shook her phone and said innocently, ¡°Miss Shen, you wanted to beat me to death with a stick. What should I say to you? I¡¯m not interested in saving someone who wants to kill me!¡± Shen Ming was on the verge of copse. Although his daughter was framed, Shen Xing had already angered the Gu family. He was worried that¡­ ¡°Enough!¡± Matriarch Shen snapped. She red fiercely at Shen Xing. Shen Xing was not as obedient and sensible as Shen Yue. ¡°Miss Qiao, I would like to ask if you know where Shen Yue is?¡± When Shen Ming heard Matriarch Shen¡¯s question, he looked toward Qiao Nian in anticipation. He said, ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for Shen Yue for five years, but we couldn¡¯t find her. She met you before she disappeared!¡± Five years? Gu Zhou, who had been standing at the side, frowned imperceptibly. He had previously investigated what happened five years ago and found out that Li Chun and Shen Yue had disappeared. He had thought that what happened five years ago was just between the two of them, but when he found out that the jade pendant was in Qiao Xin¡¯s hands, he didn¡¯t dare to jump to conclusions. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve not seen her,¡± Qiao Nian said without hesitation. Just then, everyone heard Qiao Xin¡¯s scream of pain. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to strangle you to death!¡± Shen Xing clutched at Qiao Xin¡¯s neck with both hands, ring at her with a sinister expression. ¡°I¡¯m going to strangle you to death!¡± Shen Xing¡¯s terrifying appearance gave Shen Ming a shock. He stepped forward, pped Shen Xing and said in a rage, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Xing was bleeding at the corner of her mouth. She pointed at Qiao Nian and said furiously, ¡°Five years ago, Qiao Nian strangled Li Chun to death like this. Then, she strangled my sister like this!¡± At first, everyone had thought that this was just a simple incident of Shen Xing falling into someone¡¯s trap. However, they did not expect Li Chun and Shen Yue to be involved. Shen Xing even used Qiao Nian of being a murderer in front of everyone. Shen Xing knew that everyone thought that she was a dirty rat that had crawled out of the gutter. All they felt towards her now was disgust and detestation. But even if her reputation was ruined, she had to find her sister and seek justice for her! Shen Xing stood up in tears and pointed at Qiao Nian as she sobbed. ¡°It¡¯s been five years. Sister and Li Chun have already disappeared for five years. Qiao Nian, you¡¯re awful. If you didn¡¯t kill them, how could they have vanished from the face of the earth?¡± ¡°You killed my sister. For that, I won¡¯t let you off. I¡¯m telling you¡­¡± Before Shen Xing could finish her sentence, she cked out and copsed. Chapter 41 - 41 Still a Young Child ?41: Still a Young Child 41: Still a Young Child Editor: As Studios ¡°Miss Shen, isn¡¯t lying on the ground rather cold?¡± Qiao Nian asked as she walked up to Shen Xing. Reaching out, she pinched Shen Xing¡¯s philtrum. Shen Xing came to in a daze. The moment she opened her eyes, she glimpsed Qiao Nian. It was as if she had seen a ghost. She turned pale in fright and pushed Qiao Nian away. Qiao Nian fell back uncontrobly and shut her eyes tight. However, the expected pain from the impact did not arrive. Opening her eyes, she found that Gu Zhou was holding onto her waist, preventing her from falling. Shen Xing scrambled to her feet and ran to Matriarch Shen¡¯s side. With teary eyes, she said, ¡°Grandma, you have to believe me. It really was Qiao Nian who killed my sister!¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you embarrassed yourself enough?¡± Matriarch Shen gripped her walking stick tightly. ring at Shen Xing, she roared, ¡°Hurry up and apologize to Miss Qiao!¡± Shen Xing looked at Matriarch Shen in disbelief. She had thought that Grandma was on her side. Matriarch Shen gave Shen Ming a look. Shen Ming walked up to Shen Xing and said in a voice so low that only the two of them could hear, ¡°Apologize quickly!¡± Shen Xing¡¯s tears fell even faster. She bit her lip, stubbornly refusing to apologize. Gu Zhou stood beside Qiao Nian like a protective shield. He said coldly, ¡°Miss Shen, are you really unwilling to apologize?¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s words shocked everyone present. In the rumors, the Second Young Master of the Gu family had always been cold and aloof, and rarely interacted much with other people. But now, he was protecting Qiao Nian. When Shen Xing heard Gu Zhou¡¯s words, she trembled in fear. Her gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face, and her eyes filled with hatred. Shen Ming turned to nce at Shen Xing. Deep down, he couldn¡¯t bear to see his beloved daughter in such a state. Putting on a smile, he said, ¡°Second Young Master Gu, Xing Xing is still a young child. Why don¡¯t we let this matter rest¡­¡± ¡°Child?¡± Gu Zhou raised his eyebrows and said mockingly, ¡°If I remember correctly, she¡¯s alreadye of age.¡± At Gu Zhou¡¯s words, Shen Ming¡¯s expression froze. Matriarch Shen red daggers at Shen Ming, signaling for him to stop talking. Silently, Shen Ming shut his mouth. He was afraid that if he spoke again, he would lose all his face today. Gu Zhou¡¯s narrow eyes swept across the crowd. His voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it was filled with strength. ¡°Qiao Nian is my date. She came with me to congratte Madam Shen on her birthday. I won¡¯t let her suffer.¡± Hearing this, Su Yan and Qiao Xin turned pale. At this moment, Shen Ming and Shen Xing didn¡¯t look any better either. Qiao Nian looked up at Gu Zhou. She really hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zhou to speak up for her. Su Yan, who was standing not far away, saw Qiao Nian gazing at Gu Zhou. He felt a little disappointed. He hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to be Gu Zhou¡¯s date. Qiao Xin lowered her head slightly, the corners of her lips curving up. She had thought that Gu Zhou really liked Qiao Nian, but it seemed that their rtionship as a married couple wasn¡¯t that great either. Did that mean that she still had a chance? Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes darted to the side. She pulled Su Yan away from the scene, looking up at him worriedly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Su Yan looked at Qiao Xin with concern. Qiao Xin pursed her lips, her eyes brimming with worry. ¡°Brother Su Yan, there¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure I should tell you.¡± Su Yan nced at Qiao Xin¡¯s conflicted expression and his heart softened. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°My sister heard from me previously that you would be attending Matriarch Shen¡¯s birthday banquet as well. She wanted toe too, but our parents didn¡¯t allow her to.¡± Qiao Xin nced at Su Yan awkwardly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how she got here either.¡± Seeing that Su Yan remained silent, Qiao Xin thought that he didn¡¯t understand her. She continued her exnation. ¡°It seems like Sister came here with Second Young Master Gu. If Second Young Master Gu finds out that he was just being used to get to the party, I¡¯m scared that the Qiao family will suffer!¡± Chapter 42 - 42 Sowing Discord ?42: Sowing Discord 42: Sowing Discord Editor: As Studios When Su Yan heard Qiao Xin¡¯s words, the slightly favorable impression he just formed of Qiao Nian instantly vanished. He knew it. How could Qiao Nian not like him, Su Yan? Back then, Qiao Nian had even burned down a school building for him. ¡°She¡¯s still as disgusting as ever,¡± Su Yan sneered. Qiao Xin flushed. She spoke up for Qiao Nian. ¡°Actually, Sister didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Don¡¯t keep getting angry at her.¡± Su Yan frowned, but remained quiet. Qiao Xin continued to persuade him. ¡°Just by attending the party, Sister was framed. If she wasn¡¯t so smart, she might have made a fool of herself. Look, my sister is still as clever as ever!¡± ¡°Qiao Xin, you¡¯re too kind! Qiao Nian must have been really lucky in her past life to gain a good sister like you,¡± Su Yan said with a serious expression. Qiao Xin smiled and shook her head. She replied sweetly, ¡°Brother Su Yan, don¡¯t say that. She¡¯s my sister. In the past, she often used to take care of me.¡± Hearing Qiao Xin¡¯s words, Su Yan felt that Qiao Xin was truly an obedient and sensible girl. She was theplete opposite of Qiao Nian, who only knew how to cause trouble. Seeing Su Yan¡¯s approving expression, Qiao Xin lowered her gaze coquettishly. Her lips curved up a little. She was determined to make Gu Zhou hate Qiao Nian just like Su Yan did. She would make Gu Zhou fall in love with her but dance out of reach¡ªshe would make Gu Zhou pine for her! ¡°You wretch! Hurry up and apologize!¡± Matriarch Shen looked at Shen Xing in exasperation and anger, her brow furrowed tightly. ¡°All else aside, just consider the drugging incident tonight. Someone has tampered with your dress. This has nothing to do with Qiao Nian.¡± Shen Xing¡¯s eyes were red-rimmed, and her tears fell uncontrobly. Shen Xing had initially thought that she would be able to find clues regarding her sister¡¯s disappearance this time round, but she did not expect to suffer a double loss. She understood clearly that if she didn¡¯t apologize, tonight¡¯s matter would no longer just be between Qiao Nian and herself. Instead, it would be between the Shen family and the Gu family. And the Shen family could not afford to offend the Gu family. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± Shen Xing said with extreme reluctance. One by one, her tears fell onto the cobblestones below her feet. ¡°Miss Qiao, our Xing Xing was in the wrong. Her reputation has been damaged because of you; surely that¡¯s enough punishment. I hope that you¡¯ll be the bigger person and grant her forgiveness.¡± Smiling, Shen Ming tried to smooth things over. Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. She smiled back at Shen Ming and asked, ¡°Mr. Shen, I agree that Miss Shen Xing¡¯s reputation has been damaged, but this has nothing to do with me. Instead of investigating who touched her gown, you¡¯re pinning the me on me. Do you think I¡¯m weak and easy to bully?¡± Weak? Easy to bully? The corner of Shen Ming¡¯s mouth spasmed, and several conflicting emotions shed across his face. He hurriedly left with Shen Xing. Qiao Nian didn¡¯t want to stay any longer either, so she made her goodbyes. When she arrived at the door of the Shen family¡¯s house, a young master who reeked of alcohol strode over. Stopping Qiao Nian in her tracks, he stared unblinkingly at her. ¡°Hey, gorgeous, wanna hang out?¡± Suppressing her rage, Qiao Nian said coldly, ¡°Please move aside!¡± ¡°Oh, you even smell good!¡± The man said, sniffing Qiao Nian hard. ¡°Do y with me. I¡¯m rich, you know!¡± Brazenly, the man looked Qiao Nian up and down, his eyes full ofsciviousness. ¡°What a figure!¡± Pursing her lips, Qiao Xin red coldly at the man. Her blood was boiling with rage. She turned away and walked around the man, heading outside. The man continued barring her way with utmost persistence. He yearned to take off his clothes right there and then and spend a whole night with this beauty. Qiao Nian quickened her pace, her face slightly flushed. Previously, she had indeed fallen into Shen Xing¡¯s trap. She could smell the lust drug on Shen Xing¡¯s body, but she had sealed her acupuncture points with a silver needle after she left! As time passed, the numbing effect of her acupoints began to wear off. The lust drug was about to take effect. Chapter 43 - 43 Taken Advantage ?43: Taken Advantage 43: Taken Advantage Editor: As Studios If she didn¡¯t leave quickly to take a shower, she would probably end up like a cat in heat, just like Shen Xing. ¡°Hey, gorgeous, why are you leaving so fast?¡± Breaking into a small jog, the man caught up with Qiao Nian and grabbed her hand. He smiled as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t go! Come on, let¡¯s have fun!¡± Seeing that the man had moved closer again, Qiao Nian¡¯s expression darkened. Without hesitation, she gave the man a punch, knocking him to the ground. The man staggered to his feet. He stumbled twice before managing to stand. Qiao Nian took out a silver needle. Without hesitation, she inserted it into the man¡¯s neck, aiming for hisughter acupoint. She watched as the man sat there like a big fool,ughing non-stop. When she turned to leave, she was stopped by the onlookers who had crowded round. They wanted to see who had the guts to target Gu Zhou¡¯s date. When they saw Zheng He, they were no longer surprised. Zheng He was a foreigner who had grown up overseas. Within his family, many were mercenaries, and every one of them was a ruffian. Therefore, even though everyone was displeased with Zheng He, they didn¡¯t dare to say anything. They just turned a blind eye. Zheng He wasughing so hard that he¡¯d wet himself. This was the first time he had been so humiliated. His tears flowed uncontrobly. He clearly wanted to cry, but he couldn¡¯t help butugh. He red at Qiao Nian with hatred written all over his face, but there was nothing he could do. Pulling the needle out of his body, he casually tossed it aside. Gu Zhou had heard from Chen Qing that someone was harassing Qiao Nian. When he hurried over, he saw Zheng He looking humiliated. His gaze fell on Zheng He as he pulled out the needle. Zheng He raised his sleeve to wipe his tears and red in the direction Qiao Nian had left in. ¡°If I catch youter and don¡¯t manage to kill you, my name won¡¯t be Zheng He!¡± ¡°Kill who?¡± Gu Zhou asked coldly. ¡°I¡¯d advise you to stop wetting yourself before you try to throw down any threats!¡± Immediately, the onlookers began tough. Zheng He¡¯s gaze fell on Gu Zhou¡¯s face. He immediately took out his phone and said arrogantly, ¡°Brother, someone¡¯s bullying me. Get a few brothers out here, quickly. I¡¯m in the Shen family¡¯s courtyard.¡± Chen Qing frowned slightly and looked at Zheng He with a face full of worry. He moved closer to Gu Zhou and whispered, ¡°Second Young Master, should we escort Madam out?¡± Gu Zhou stared unblinkingly at Qiao Nian. Her face seemed to be extraordinarily flushed. ¡°She should be able to handle this.¡± Chen Qing looked at Gu Zhou in disbelief. He felt that his Second Young Master had to be joking. Zheng He looked at Qiao Nian and said coldly, ¡°B*tch, just you wait. Even if I don¡¯t kill you today, I will kick you out of Country Z. You¡¯ll stay in hell forever!¡± Matriarch Shen rushed over when she heard themotion. Seeing that it was Qiao Nian who had caused the trouble, she frowned unhappily. However, she couldn¡¯t really let anything happen to Qiao Nian here. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Qiao Nian¡¯s voice. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Qiao Nian raised her eyebrows slightly and said, ¡°If you can¡¯t kill me today, I won¡¯t consider you a man. Get out of Country Z and nevere back. Stay in hell forever too!¡± Wow. This woman was too arrogant! How dare she challenge the Zheng family! She clearly overestimated her own abilities! Although everyone felt that Qiao Nian was being arrogant, they sincerely hoped that Zheng He would leave Country Z. At this point, Matriarch Shen shut her mouth. She felt that there was no need to speak anymore. She might as well watch Qiao Nian suffer the consequences. When Zheng He heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, heughed out loud in anger. He retorted, ¡°Is there something wrong with your brain, or are you just mentally retarded? What makes you think you can chase me out of Country Z?¡± Qiao Nian could feel her body gradually heating up, but she didn¡¯t want anyone to see that she was feeling ufortable. With a cold expression, she lowered her voice as much as possible. ¡°I¡¯m just repeating what you said.¡± Zheng He looked at Qiao Nian¡¯s gown with disdain. He retorted, ¡°There are tons of people who rely on their bodies to make a living, like you. You¡¯re just a piece of trash meant for other people to y with. How dare you make a scene in front of me? Are you tired of living?¡± Chapter 44 - 44 Did You Bring a Gun ?44: Did You Bring a Gun? 44: Did You Bring a Gun? Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian nced at the public bench beside her and calmly walked over to sit down. Seeing Zheng He approach, she said impassively, ¡°How did all thatughter feel?¡± Zheng He stopped in his tracks. His pants were still damp. He hadughed for too long, and now his face felt extremely stiff. ¡°Hmph, who¡¯s afraid of who?¡± Zheng He stood leaning against a tree, gazing into the distance with a calm expression. Deep down, he was puzzled. How did Qiao Nian have the guts to just sit there? Chen Qing, who was standing not far away, observed Qiao Nian¡¯sposed demeanor. His heart surged with emotion. His Second Young Madam was indeed something else! Chen Qing moved closer to Gu Zhou and said in a low voice, ¡°Second Young Madam is truly both beautiful and valiant!¡± ¡°Did you bring a gun?¡± Chen Qing¡¯s good mood dissipated. His Second Young Master was exuding a frigid aura, and looked as cold as ice. Qiao Xin stood not far away, her eyes red-rimmed. She looked at Qiao Nian worriedly. After a beat, she tugged at Su Yan¡¯s arm helplessly. ¡°Brother Su Yan, will my sister be alright?¡± Su Yan frowned when he heard Qiao Xin¡¯s words. ¡°Qiao Xin, you¡¯re too kind!¡± Qiao Xin blinked at Su Yan, her expression full of distress. She whispered, ¡°If Second Young Master Gu had been willing to help my sister, surely things wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way!¡± At Qiao Xin¡¯s words, Su Yan nced at Gu Zhou, who was standing not far away. Gu Zhou stood there expressionlessly. There was no trace of light in his dark eyes. It was as if he was a mere spectator, and the happenings had nothing to do with him whatsoever. However, what bothered Su Yan was that Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze never left Qiao Nian¡¯s face. He was a little unsure of what Gu Zhou was thinking. ¡°Qiao Nian hasmitted so many evils. She deserves to be bullied. Don¡¯t feel worried,¡± Su Yan consoled. When Qiao Xin heard Su Yan¡¯s words, she felt more at ease. She knew that Su Yan wouldn¡¯t interfere, so she didn¡¯t say anything else. She looked toward Gu Zhou, who was standing not far away. Gu Zhou didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of interfering. If that was the case, there would be another good show soon. Tonight, Qiao Nian¡¯s reputation would be ruined. Just as everyone was filled with anticipation, eight muscr men walked into the Shen residence. The man at the front was wearing a suit, and had a thick gold chain around his neck. His cor was unbuttoned all the way to his abdomen, so his abs could be seen faintly. He roared, ¡°Who dared to bully my younger brother? Come out right now!¡± With one hand in his pocket, Zheng Xiang gave off a ruthless aura. Qiao Nian looked at him, her expression nk. Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Nian and said uneasily, ¡°Sister seems to be frightened. What should we do?¡± Su Yan didn¡¯t reply, merely gazed quietly at Qiao Nian. The people who attended the banquet today were all people with status and power. None of them liked Zheng He, but what could they do? Zheng He¡¯s status made them all afraid to do anything. ¡°Qiao Nian is definitely going to lose badly this time. Zheng Xiang is a ss C in the Zheng family. Usually, he handles extremely important missions. On every mission he handles, there will be blood!¡± ¡°I think Qiao Nian¡¯s innocence will be in jeopardy.¡± ¡°Second Young Master Gu wanted to protect her just now. If she hadn¡¯t insisted on leaving, this wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡± ¡­ ¡°Who is it? Who dared to bully my brother? Show your face! Otherwise, if I catch you, I¡¯ll wring your head off and use it as a urinal!¡± Zheng Xiang roared impatiently. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Qiao Nian sat there, her expression unchanged. Her voice was unhurried, and her eyes were slightly narrowed. There was no hint of fear in her voice. Zheng Xiang was taken aback. What? A woman? Zheng Xiang couldn¡¯t quite believe Qiao Nian¡¯s words. He turned to look at Zheng He with questioning eyes. Zheng He had initially wanted his brother to help, but for some reason, he felt embarrassed. He hadn¡¯t even managed to handle a woman. ¡°Brother, tie her up and send her to my bed. I¡¯ll make sure she suffers tonight!¡± Chapter 45 - 45 Counterattack in One Move ?45: Counterattack in One Move 45: Counterattack in One Move Editor: As Studios ¡°Alright.¡± Zheng Xiang gave Zheng He a look and said with a smile, ¡°Brother, you have good taste. This chick is hot!¡± Zheng He grinned foolishly. He liked beauties. The prettier they were, the better. If he didn¡¯t think that this woman was good-looking, why would he have chosen her? Zheng Xiang¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. He said threateningly, ¡°Little girl, as long as you apologize to my brother and serve him well, this matter will be settled. I¡¯m a magnanimous person, and I won¡¯t hold it against you!¡± Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t help butugh. It was as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world. Slowly, she spat out four sybles. ¡°Impossible!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s reply stunned Zheng Xiang. It had been a long time since he had met such a fascinating chick. Cracking his knuckles, Zheng Xiang looked at Qiao Nian coldly. ¡°Little girl, your hair may be long, but you¡¯re clearly a short-sighted fool. I, Zheng Xiang, draw blood whenever I attack. Don¡¯t me me for being vicious!¡± Zheng Xiang chose to firstunch a verbal attack because he didn¡¯t want to strike a woman, especially a beautifuldy like Qiao Nian. After all, he had to treat the fairer sex with gentleness! However, when Zheng Xiang saw the disdain on the woman¡¯s face, he could not help but frown. He felt that his dignity had beenpromised. He said threateningly, ¡°I¡¯ve given you an easy way out. Since you¡¯ve chosen not to take it, I¡¯ll make sure you learn your lesson!¡± If he didn¡¯t beat this woman up till she was ruined, his name wouldn¡¯t be Zheng Xiang! Zheng Xiang flexed his wrist, and the muscles on his arm bulged, bursting out of his suit jacket! The people around them turned pale with fear and looked at Qiao Nian sympathetically. ¡°Oh my god, Zheng Xiang is going to hit her. This youngdy is in trouble!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? This youngdy is too much. Couldn¡¯t she just take the easy way out?¡± ¡°Quick, let¡¯s leave. Quick! Remember, we can¡¯t ever provoke Zheng He and the Zheng family again. For the sake of our pitiful lives!¡± ¡­ At this moment, Qiao Nian stood up elegantly and looked at Zheng Xiang, her gaze steady and calm. ¡°There¡¯s no need to show mercy!¡± Hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, the onlookers were all astonished. Zheng Xiang was stunned for a moment. He gave a wildugh. ¡°Interesting, very interesting. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a woman who wants to die!¡± Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with Zheng Xiang. She narrowed her eyes and looked at him coldly, silver needles in hand. Zheng Xiang was stupefied, his gaze falling on the silver needles in Qiao Nian¡¯s hand. He mocked, ¡°You¡¯re indeed a female. All you know how to do is fight with embroidery needles. Here¡¯s some advice: you should just have scrammed home earlier today and focused on sewing clothes. Don¡¯t embarrass yourself outside!¡± Qiao Nian didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, she flicked her wrist just a little. As Zheng Xiang rushed towards her, the six silver needles in her hand flew towards Zheng Xiang like beams of cold light, all of them piercing into Zheng Xiang¡¯s body. Zheng Xiang maintained his offensive stance, but his body had fallen out of his control. He had no idea what was happening. ¡°What did you do to me!¡± Zheng Xiang red at Qiao Nian, his eyes filled with rage and resentment. He said in exasperation, ¡°What¡¯s so good about ying petty tricks? Let go of me if you dare. Let¡¯s have a fair fight!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we fighting fairly?¡± Qiao Nian walked in a circle around Zheng Xiang, a trace of a smile in the corners of her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re using a dirty trick!¡± Zheng Xiang absolutely refused to admit that he was weaker than her. He believed that as long as Qiao Nian let go of him, he would definitely beat her to the ground. Qiao Nian walked up to Zheng Xiang. Her eyes were cold as she poked Zheng Xiang¡¯s chest with her index finger. Zheng Xiang fell backwards, toppling towards the ground uncontrobly. The people who had arrived with Zheng Xiang hurried to catch him. Zheng Xiang nced at the people around him and said angrily, ¡°None of you have any sense at all. Hurry up and remove the silver needles from my body! What are you thinking? Do you want to leave them in for the new year?¡± Chapter 46 - 46 Hercules ?46: Hercules? 46: Hercules? Editor: As Studios Only upon hearing Zheng Xiang¡¯s words did the mene back to their senses. Hurriedly, they stepped forward and began to pull the silver needles out of Zheng Xiang¡¯s body one by one. After all the silver needles were removed, Zheng Xiang regained control of his body. He sneered at Qiao Nian. Zheng Xiang¡¯s eyes were cold. He raised his fist and swung it viciously towards Qiao Nian¡¯s face. The hearts of the onlookers all began to race in fear. Some were so frightened that they hurriedly shut their eyes, unable to continue watching. Everyone silently muttered a prayer for Qiao Nian. However, the scream they had been anticipating did note. Everyone opened their eyes in unison to see what was going on, but what they saw stunned them all. Qiao Nian was a small youngdy, slender and almost weak-looking. Yet her thin hand caught hold of Zheng Xiang¡¯s fist in an instant. Zheng Xiang himself was stunned. He wanted to retract his hand, but Qiao Nian didn¡¯t release her grip, preventing him from moving. While everyone was still in a daze, Qiao Nian swiftly dislocated Zheng Xiang¡¯s arms and kicked sharply at Zheng Xiang¡¯s knee, forcing Zheng Xiang to fall down on his knees in front of her. ¡°Although it¡¯s not the new year yet, I¡¯ll take it that you¡¯re here to wish me a happy new year.¡± Qiao Nian, who seemed to have gained several inches in height, looked down at Zheng Xiang in contempt. There was no trace of a smile on her face. ¡°If you cause any more trouble, I¡¯ll make sure you suffer the consequences!¡± At this moment, Zheng Xiang was kneeling on the ground with shock written all over his face. His mind was filled with Qiao Nian. He couldn¡¯t believe that Qiao Nian could counter his fist with just one hand. How was this possible? Who exactly was this Qiao Nian? Zheng Xiang looked up at Qiao Nian. For some reason, he felt that Qiao Nian looked like a demon from hell, making him shiver. Qiao Xin, who was standing in the crowd, gasped as she looked at Qiao Nian in fear. She didn¡¯t expect Qiao Nian to be so skilled. How was she able to dodge Zheng Xiang¡¯s attack? Qiao Xin clenched her fists tightly. She yearned to walk towards them and help Zheng Xiang hit Qiao Nian right this instant. However, she only dared to picture the scene, nothing more. She could only stand there and worry. Qiao Nian slowly raised her right leg, her ten-centimeter-tall high heel grinding into Zheng Xiang¡¯s shoulder. She leaned forward slightly and exerted a little strength with her right leg, causing Zheng Xiang to instantly turn pale. Cold sweat broke out on Zheng Xiang¡¯s forehead, and his veins bulged. He looked up at the woman in front of him, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief. She was so strong! Zheng Xiang was starting to doubt himself. He had always thought that he was a good fighter. Now, it seemed that his skills were just average. The onlookers almost thought that they were watching a martial arts flick. One had to know that in modern society, few people were this skilled at defense. They sized Qiao Nian up. Qiao Nian was only 1.65 meters tall. She looked so thin and weak. How could she be so strong? At this moment, they all had the same thought in mind. No matter who they provoked, they couldn¡¯t afford to offend Qiao Nian. Qiao Xin¡¯s face was pale and beads of sweat had appeared on her nose. Her heart was beating faster and faster, as if it would jump out of her mouth at any moment. She suddenly recalled something. If Qiao Nian had used the same amount of strength to p her back then, would her head have separated from her body? Some things didn¡¯t bear thinking about. The more she thought about it, the more afraid she became. Qiao Xin swallowed nervously. Should she be thanking Qiao Nian for showing mercy back then? Qiao Xin quickly dismissed the thought. Hatred shed in her eyes as she looked at Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian had stolen her shares and her man. How could she thank such a despicable and shameless person? She had to quickly think of a way to get the shares back. And, she had to win Gu Zhou¡¯s heart. Qiao Xin¡¯s gaze gradually shifted to Gu Zhou¡¯s face. Looking at his handsome profile, a trace of bashfulness shed in her eyes. Chapter 47 - 47 Get Over Here and Apologize! ?47: Get Over Here and Apologize! 47: Get Over Here and Apologize! Editor: As Studios ¡°You.¡± Qiao Nian looked at Zheng He, who was standing not far away. She curled a finger and said coldly, ¡°Get over here and apologize!¡± Previously, when Qiao Nian said anything like this, everyone felt that she was just putting on an empty show of strength. But now, everyone was looking at Zheng He with gloating expressions. None of them liked a little bully like Zheng He. Zheng He looked at Qiao Nian in shock. He had already been thoroughly humiliated. This youngss still wanted him to apologize. Pft! She could dream on! Zheng He looked at Zheng Xiang, who was not far away. He hadn¡¯t expected his cousin to lose to this little girl. He nced at the people Zheng Xiang had brought with him. Although they were all of good build, their skills were much weaker than Zheng Xiang¡¯s. However, as the saying went, two fists were no match for four. Zheng He rolled his eyes and nced at the seven of them. ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and attack!¡± When the onlookers heard Zheng He¡¯s words, they looked toward him with contempt. They had never seen such a shameless man. Then, they turned to look at Qiao Nian worriedly. Even if Qiao Nian was skilled, there were seven of them on the other side. Qiao Nian still didn¡¯t have a chance of winning. However, the battle ended after barely a second. In a sh, the seven men were beaten to the ground, much to everyone¡¯s disbelief. In that instant, many young daughters present, who were from wealthy families, became Qiao Nian¡¯s fans. Each one of them had been pampered and spoiled from a young age. They had always been told to bedylike, to be educated and polite, etc. They had never seen such a hot-blooded scene. They were so excited that they all began to apud. ¡°Qiao Nian is so amazing. How can she be so cool? I want her to teach me martial arts!¡± ¡°Oh my god, she¡¯s the modern version of the Fairy Sister, Wang Yuyan from Eight Books of the Heavenly Dragon!¡± ¡°Hubby Qiao Nian, I want to give birth to your child!¡± ¡­ In her high heels, Qiao Nian approached Zheng He step by step. She looked at him expressionlessly and said, ¡°Kneel! Apologize!¡± Zheng He belonged to the main branch of the Zheng family. He would inherit the family business in the future. He had already been humiliated when he wet his pants here just now. If he knelt down and begged Qiao Nian for mercy, he would be even more humiliated. He would lose every shred of his dignity. Zheng He lifted his chin slightly and stood there unmoving, refusing to kneel. He wanted to run from the scene, but his legs had turned to jelly in fear of Qiao Nian. His legs refused to obey hismands. Qiao Nian kicked Zheng He¡¯s knee sharply, forcing him to kneel. ¡°Plop.¡± Zheng He¡¯s right leg, which Qiao Nian had kicked, had been dislocated. He fell to his knees uncontrobly. Zheng He looked down at the cobblestones beneath his feet. His brain was still short-circuiting. How had he lost? There was no way he could have lost! ¡°Apologize!¡± Qiao Nian said, ring at Zheng He coldly. Due to her vigorous exercise, the lust drug in her body was ring up at an even greater speed. Gradually, her face began to flush red. She tried hard to suppress her bodily urges. If Zheng He had note to find fault with her, she would have been able to get rid of the lust drug in her body long ago. She would no longer need to suppress it so bitterly. Zheng He¡¯s mind was in a mess. He looked up at Zheng Xiang, who had already stood up. Zheng Xiang¡¯s arms were drooping uncontrobly. Zheng He knew that he could no longer count on Zheng Xiang. Zheng Xiang gave Zheng He a nce and walked over to Qiao Nian¡¯s side. With a cold expression, he said threateningly, ¡°Master Zheng will never forgive you for bullying the Zheng family.¡± Qiao Nian tucked her hair behind her ear elegantly. Smiling mockingly, she said, ¡°The victor is king, and the loser is a thief. Now that you¡¯ve lost to me, not only are you unwilling to admit defeat, but you¡¯re even using someone else¡¯s name to pressure me? Aren¡¯t you embarrassed at all?¡± The onlookers nodded in agreement. They were very happy to see the Zheng family being bullied. ¡°You¡­¡± Before Zheng Xiang could finish speaking, Qiao Nian interrupted him. ¡°What about me? Since the young ones couldn¡¯t beat me, you¡¯ll call in the old ones? I¡¯ve already understood how shameless this Zheng family is.¡± Chapter 48 - 48 Calling for Reinforcements ?48: Calling for Reinforcements 48: Calling for Reinforcements Editor: As Studios With that, Qiao Nian looked down at Zheng He, who was by her feet, and asked coldly, ¡°Do you want to apologize? Or do you want me to break every single one of your bones?¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s voice was as gentle as ever, but the words she spoke made one feel as if they were in the dead of winter, chilling to the bone. Zheng He looked at Qiao Nian in fear. The Zheng family had never apologized, and would never do so. ¡°In your dreams! Pft! I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m definitely getting my family¡¯s mercenaries to kill you!¡± Zheng He said viciously, his face livid. If Zheng He had not been crying, Qiao Nian would have thought that he was still a man. But Zheng He was bawling like a baby in front of her. It was truly disgusting. ¡°Mercenaries?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Zheng He with a faint smile on her face. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m afraid of you?¡± The onlookers had thought that Qiao Nian would quit while she was ahead. They didn¡¯t expect Qiao Nian to continue provoking Zheng He. Although the spectacle today was satisfying, they couldn¡¯t help but worry about Qiao Nian. The Zheng family¡¯s mercenaries carried firearms. No matter how skilled Qiao Nian was, how could she dodge a bullet? ¡°Alright, then do you dare to wait here until my father arrives?¡± Zheng He wiped the tears off his face and said, sniffling. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare to?¡± Qiao Nian sneered. She really looked down on Zheng He. Apart from calling for reinforcements, this good-for-nothing had no other abilities. ¡°If your father can¡¯t beat me, will you call your grandfather over?¡± The people around them couldn¡¯t stop smiling. They felt that Qiao Nian had a very good point. Zheng He and Zheng Xiang looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief. They had never seen such an arrogant and despotic woman in their lives. Zheng He took out his phone from his pocket shakily. Just as he was about to make a call, he heard a cold voice from afar. ¡°Are you done fighting?¡± Gu Zhou stepped past the crowd and walked elegantly towards Qiao Nian. His gaze toward Qiao Nian was very gentle, so gentle that it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if water was flowing from his eyes. Qiao Nian turned to nce at Gu Zhou. Her red lips curved up slightly. ¡°Not bad. I just started warming up.¡± ¡°They¡¯re quite dirty. Don¡¯t dirty your hands,¡± Gu Zhou said gently to Qiao Nian. Qiao Xin, who was standing not far away, looked at Gu Zhou in disbelief. She had not expected this cold man to be so gentle with Qiao Nian. Everyone around them was also stunned. The Second Young Master Gu was rumored to be as cold as ice. The word ¡°gentle¡± simply wasn¡¯t in his dictionary. Qiao Nian smiled and nodded. She seemed to agree with Gu Zhou. When Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian stood side by side, they looked like the male and female leads in a manga. The man was handsome and suave, while thedy was petite and exquisite. Gu Zhou gave Zheng He a disdainful nce, as if taking another look would cause his eyes to sting. His voice was as cold and low as ever. ¡°Mr. Zheng, I have a debt to settle with you.¡± Zheng He¡¯s knees were aching terribly. He could only stand up after the people around him helped him up. However, no one understood why Gu Zhou would say that. The Gu and Zheng families were arch-enemies, and the two families had never had any business dealings with each other. Zheng He had long since sobered up. He looked up at Gu Zhou, then at Qiao Nian, who was standing beside Gu Zhou. His face was pale. Oh my god, he had angered Gu Zhou¡¯s woman! Zheng He still remembered what his father had told him. As long as he didn¡¯t offend the Gu family, he could do whatever he wanted. ¡°Chen Qing.¡± Chen Qing, who had been standing in the crowd, walked over. ¡°Chop off one of his hands!¡± Gu Zhou said expressionlessly. Gu Zhou¡¯s words stunned everyone around him. They looked at Gu Zhou in disbelief. At this moment, they realized that Qiao Nian was someone they couldn¡¯t afford to offend. Because Qiao Nian was under Gu Zhou¡¯s protection. Chapter 49 - 49 Bastard! ?49: Bastard! 49: Bastard! Editor: As Studios Chen Qing was also momentarily stunned. He hadn¡¯t brought a knife with him. As his gaze fell on a nearby rock, he wondered if he should use the rock to smash Zheng He¡¯s hand off. ¡°By the way, cut off his tongue as well. He¡¯s too noisy!¡± Gu Zhou said expressionlessly. ¡°He insulted my date and humiliated me. He should bear the consequences.¡± Chen Qing gave a murmur of assent. The people around them trembled in fear. Qiao Xin, who was standing in the crowd, looked at Gu Zhou in disbelief. Gu Zhou was cold, and treated people so ruthlessly. It seemed that it would not be easy for her to get Gu Zhou¡¯s heart. Zheng He was trembling in fear. His pants were wet again. He had wet himself twice in a row today. Zheng He took out his phone and called his father with trembling hands. His father was the only one who could save him now. Fortunately, the call went through very quickly. Zheng He wiped his tears and sniffled. In a pretentious manner, he said, ¡°Dad, hurry up and save me. Gu Zhou has gone crazy. For the sake of a b*tch named Qiao Nian, he actually wants to cut off my hand and my tongue. You have to kill them!¡± The other end of the line seemed to hesitate for a moment before Zheng An¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Did you just say Qiao Nian?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. That little b*tch is called Qiao Nian!¡± Zheng He said indignantly. ¡°She relied on her good looks and petty means to defeat us utterly. She even forced me to kneel down and apologize to her!¡± The more Zheng He spoke, the angrier he became. He yearned to tear Qiao Nian to shreds right now. ¡°Qiao Nian from An City?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s her!¡± When Zheng An heard Zheng He¡¯s words, his chest tightened. His hand, which was holding the phone, began to tremble involuntarily. He yearned to crawl through the phone line to Zheng He and give this unfilial son two hard ps. ¡°Bastard! What else can you do but cause trouble?!¡± Zheng He was stunned for a moment. He nced at his phone in disbelief. Was the person speaking really his father? His father had always doted on him the most. He had always been gentle with him. How could he be so fierce? Zheng He felt that he must be hallucinating. ¡°Dad, listen to me. They¡¯re the ones who bullied me. They¡­¡± Before Zheng He could finish his sentence, Zheng An interrupted him mercilessly. ¡°If you say another word of nonsense, I¡¯ll cut your tongue off. From what I know of Qiao Nian¡¯s cold nature, how could she bother to even speak with you? You must have provoked her!¡± Zheng He blinked in confusion. ¡°Dad, do you know her?¡± ¡°If she didn¡¯t save me back then, our family wouldn¡¯t have managed to get where we are today. Indeed, the two of us would have been separated by life and death long ago. She¡¯s our family¡¯s great benefactor!¡± Zheng He was so shocked that he dropped his phone. He hurriedly picked up his phone again. He couldn¡¯t believe¡ªhe didn¡¯t dare to believe¡ªthat the person who had saved his father back then was Qiao Nian. Zheng An¡¯s voice, full of exasperation and anger, came through the phone. ¡°You unfilial son! You¡¯re in big trouble. Hurry up and give her the phone!¡± The onlookers watched as Zheng He¡¯s expression turned uglier and uglier. They couldn¡¯t help but feel curious. In the end, they saw Zheng He crawl to Qiao Nian on his knees. Everyone¡¯s expression changed. Zheng An must have wanted to say something vicious to Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian nced at the phone. At Zheng He¡¯s request, she picked it up. The lust drug in her body had already red up, and her entire body was aching terribly. All she wanted to do now was resolve this trivial matter as soon as possible so that she could cure the poison. Qiao Nian took the phone and turned on the speaker. Zheng An¡¯s respectful voice came through the phone. ¡°Miss Qiao, thank you for saving me back then. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would have been reduced to a pile of bones long ago. I¡¯ve remembered your kindness till today, but I never would have thought that when I next contacted you, it would be because my unfilial son offended you. I¡¯m truly sorry!¡± Zheng He lowered his head even more. He didn¡¯t know that Qiao Nian had saved his father¡¯s life. Surely he couldn¡¯t be med for this! Chapter 50 - 50 Rather Die Than Submit ?50: Rather Die Than Submit 50: Rather Die Than Submit Editor: As Studios There was silence as everyone turned to look at Qiao Nian. When Gu Zhou heard Zheng An¡¯s voice, he turned to nce at Qiao Nian, his expression indecipherable. Qiao Nian was actually Zheng An¡¯s life savior? When everyone present realized this, they were all stunned. At this moment, Qiao Xin gritted her teeth and red at Qiao Nian. If looks could kill, Qiao Nian would have died a million times over. Qiao Xin really hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to be so lucky. However, this was also the first time Qiao Xin had gotten to know Qiao Nian from a new perspective. Qiao Nian was highly adept at martial arts and possessed excellent medical skills. What else could she be hiding? Qiao Xin found herself incredibly curious. Su Yan gazed unblinkingly at Qiao Nian, his eyes filled with admiration. This was the first time he understood Qiao Nian on a deeper level. He felt that he must have misunderstood her in the past. Su Yan finally realized why Teacher Liu liked Qiao Nian so much. So Qiao Nian was really a medical genius. Suppressing her resentment, Qiao Xin nced at Su Yan. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Su Yan gazing at Qiao Nian affectionately. Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes shed. Carefully, she tugged a little at Su Yan¡¯s sleeve and whispered, ¡°Brother Su Yan, if her medical skills are so advanced, why did she set fire to the school building?¡± At Qiao Xin¡¯s words, Su Yan¡¯s good impression of Qiao Nian instantly vanished. Even if Qiao Nian was a genius, so what? Qiao Nian was clearly just lucky. If he had been the one who had run into Zheng An back then, then he would have been Zheng An¡¯s life savior. At this moment, Qiao Nian¡¯s expression softened and she spoke gently into the phone, forcibly suppressing the rising difort in her body. ¡°Uncle Zheng, what happened that year was nothing; it¡¯s not a big favor at all. I¡¯ve already forgotten about it. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± On the other end of the call, when Zheng An heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, he sensed that she was no longer willing to settle this matter peacefully. He sighed silently and said, ¡°You have full authority over this matter. Do whatever you want. I¡¯ll make noints.¡± When Zheng He heard Zheng An¡¯s words, his expression changed in an instant. He hurriedly snatched the phone away and shouted, ¡°Father, you can¡¯t do this to me! Save me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough! Shut up!¡± Zheng An¡¯s impatient voice came from the phone. ¡°Apologize properly to Miss Qiao until you¡¯ve gained Miss Qiao¡¯s forgiveness. I¡¯m telling you, if you don¡¯t do as I say, you¡¯ll no longer be a part of the Zheng family. You are not my only son!¡± After the call ended, Zheng He looked at Qiao Nian. All the blood had drained from his face. ¡°Brother, apologize quickly!¡± Zheng Xiang said anxiously. At this moment, the lust drug in Qiao Nian¡¯s body hadpletely red up. Her eyes gradually zed over. She forced herself to look at Zheng He and say, ¡°I just want a sincere apology!¡± If Zheng An had spoken properly to Zheng He just now, Zheng He would have been willing to apologize to Qiao Nian. However, when Zheng He thought of his father¡¯s words¡ª¡±You are not my only son!¡±¡ªhis mind went nk. In a daze, he pounced toward Qiao Nian. Even if he had to die, he would drag Qiao Nian down with him. With nimble reflexes, Gu Zhou sent Zheng He flying with a kick. He called out, ¡°Chen Qing.¡± Chen Qing immediately stepped forward, holding a knife. Previously, he had gotten someone to bring him a knife from the Shen family¡¯s kitchen. Swiftly, he chopped off Zheng He¡¯s hand. Zheng He cried out in agony! Seeing this, Chen Qing swiftly dislocated Zheng He¡¯s jaw and cut off his tongue with the knife. In the end, he even kindly repositioned Zheng He¡¯s jaw. Zheng He was in so much pain that he was on the verge of fainting. He couldn¡¯t make a sound right now, either. Suppressing his pain, he had no choice but to agree to wait for Zheng Xiang to call the ambnce. Today was Matriarch Shen¡¯s birthday banquet, and yet, blood was shed. She couldn¡¯t even me the two of them, for she could not afford to offend either of them. The bloodstains on the cobblestones had all been cleaned up. It was as if the bloody scene from just now had just been an illusion. Everything returned to normal. Matriarch Shen ushered the other guests into the banquet hall. The onlookers around her had finally dispersed. Lifting up her skirt, Qiao Nian walked briskly toward the gates. As she jogged, her gaze began to cloud over, and the door in the distance gradually turned blurry. Chapter 51 - 51 Flaring Up ?51: ring Up 51: ring Up Editor: As 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 gazending 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, waspletely 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 nkly, 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 shed. He ordered, ¡°Head straight home!¡± Chen Qing nced 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 difort, 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 ze 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 nced 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 vi. 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 difort. 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 gazending 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 waspletely 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, sheughed. 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. Chapter 52 - 52 Im Not the Antidote! ?52: I¡¯m Not the Antidote! 52: I¡¯m Not the Antidote! Editor: As Studios 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 sshed 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 downmandingly 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. Shey 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 uncontrobly. Ovee 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 shed 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-inw seemed to be drunk, so I made some hangover stew and brought it over. I didn¡¯t expect to disturb you and Second Sister-inw. 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 nced coldly at Jiang Yue, his irritation obvious. ¡°Since you knew you would disturb us, why did youe?¡± 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 vi? She had been by his side for so long. Why couldn¡¯t he give her just another nce? 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. Chapter 53 - 53 Ive Gotten Married! ?53: I¡¯ve Gotten Married! 53: I¡¯ve Gotten Married! Editor: As Studios 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 ced 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 youngdy?¡± 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 youngdy with a towel wrapped around her. The youngdy¡¯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 youngdy. She looked a little familiar, but he didn¡¯t think he had seen her before. After all, no one would forget a good-looking youngdy. ¡°You must have been ramping it up. In the future, you shouldn¡¯t make the youngdy 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 rtionship between a man and a woman be considered dirty? It¡¯s clearly called making love!¡± Lu Yan nced at Gu Zhou and teased, ¡°I remember in the past, if a youngdy 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. ¡°Thedy on the bed.¡± Lu Yan nced at the youngdy 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 quitepatible with her. The two of you have quitepatible 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 nk. ¡°Why not? Marriage is a joyous asion.¡± 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 wasmanding him to leave. Chapter 54 - 54 How Humiliating ?54: How Humiliating 54: How Humiliating Editor: As Studios Lu Yan pursed his lips unhappily. He nced 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 ident, 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 ndering 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 vi. Frustration shed 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 noing back from that mistake. The next morning, sunlight filtered through the windows, nting across the bed. Qiao Nian opened her eyes dazedly. The sun was a little ring, and she burrowed under the nkets. 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 happenedst 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 happenedst night. ¡°Qiao Xin gave you a call.¡± Gu Zhou nced at the phone beside Qiao Nian¡¯s pillow. Qiao Xin had actually dared to call her. It seemed that Qiao Xin was bing much bolder. Chapter 55 - 55 A Match Made in Heaven ?55: A Match Made in Heaven 55: A Match Made in Heaven Editor: As Studios Just as Qiao Nian was thinking about how she should bully Qiao Xin, she heard Gu Zhou speak. ¡°That friend of mine will being 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 forst 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 nced 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 feverst 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 happenedst night. That girl, Shen Xing, has already gone to kneel in her ancestral hall. She¡¯lle specially to apologize to youter. 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 offter.¡± ¡°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 Nianing 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 identally 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? Chapter 56 - 56 Acting As a Pimp ?56: Acting As a Pimp 56: Acting As a Pimp Editor: As Studios ¡°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 heardst 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 unountably 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 exnation from the storeter!¡± 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 ce 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 inughter. She had initially wanted Qiao Nian to appear at the graduation banquet with a fake handbag. When that happened, Qiao Nian would once again be aughing 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 nk. 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 beforepleting 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 shed 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. Chapter 57 - 57 Graduation Banquet ?57: Graduation Banquet 57: Graduation Banquet Editor: As Studios ¡°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 vi tonight. You cane 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 ount. 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 ofments. Thement section was full of members of the Qiao family, mostly distant rtives 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 thements. 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 andughter. She walked out of the medicalboratory 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 youngdies wanted to marry Su Yan, just so they could soar to the skies. As Su Yan¡¯s girlfriend, Qiao Xin received countless res filled with envy and jealousy. She smiled as she stood next to Su Yan, chatting with the other ssmates. 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 toe 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 exined, ¡°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 exin, 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. Chapter 58 - 58 Lunatic ?58: Lunatic 58: Lunatic Editor: As Studios ¡°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 ce!¡± Su Yan red 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 nced 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 Inte the next day. Su Yan¡¯s gaze softened as he looked at Qiao Xin. Qiao Xin was such a sensible girl. Qiao Nian nced 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 me 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. Chapter 59 - 59 How Was This Possible ?59: How Was This Possible? 59: How Was This Possible? Editor: As 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 toe 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 ssmates 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, manyizens 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 nced 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 pped in the face. They were so embarrassed that they wanted to find a hole to hide in. Of course, the surrounding ssmates 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 froming 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 rtionship 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. Ayer of cold sweat formed on her palms. Chapter 60 - 60 Stuck Out Like a Sore Thumb ?60: Stuck Out Like a Sore Thumb 60: Stuck Out Like a Sore Thumb Editor: As Studios 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 ce 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 ssmates still wanted to get in his good books. They wanted to join the Su family¡¯spany in the future. A ssmate 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 re 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 ount. Senior Su Yan, do you want to make your rtionship 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 rxed. 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 nced 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 rtionship 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 nce 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 whoes to the banquet brings their own stools.¡± Chapter 61 - 61 Provoked ?61: Provoked 61: Provoked Editor: As Studios 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,e sit here. I¡¯ll give you my seat.¡± Many university students hade 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 nce, she continued to peruse the program list she was holding. Shen Xing had always been revered by her peers¡ªshe was used to being the center of attention, like the moon among a crowd of stars. She didn¡¯t expect Qiao Nian to ignore herpletely, 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 gazesnding 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 nonchntly, ¡°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 vi, 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 nonchntly, ¡°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 beenpleted. 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 sessfully?¡± Qiao Nian enunciated each word clearly. When she thought of how Shen Xing had tried to frame her that night, mes 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!¡± ¡­ Chapter 62 - 62 Telling Tales ?62: Telling Tales 62: Telling Tales Editor: As Studios 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 n 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 eyshes was a pair of cold eyes. She looked at Shen Xing expressionlessly. ¡°ssmate Shen Xing, congrattions. 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 beganughing 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 wasughing 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 stopughing. 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 vige 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 toe in again!¡± Like a snake, Qiao Nian red 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 wasbed neatly, and under the gold-rimmed sses, 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.¡± Chapter 63 - 63 Provoked ?63: Provoked 63: Provoked Editor: As Studios 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 nced 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 ce. 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 nk. 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 nced at Wang An before retracting her gaze. Her gazended 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. Chapter 64 - 64 Changing Sides ?64: Changing Sides 64: Changing Sides Editor: As Studios ¡°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 eximed. Qiao Xin, too, was thinking that there was something wrong with what the principal said. Now she finally understood where the problemy. 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 Inte.¡± 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 theirst 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 ept that Qiao Nian, a student who had almost ruined the school, was actually the principal who had saved the school. This realization was uneptable 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 ufortable. 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 wildss 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 ount 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 pped in the face. His face was burning with embarrassment, and he felt as if his entire world had copsed. 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. Chapter 65 - 65 Her Smile Put Sunflowers To Shame ?65: Her Smile Put Sunflowers To Shame 65: Her Smile Put Sunflowers To Shame Editor: As Studios Her smile put sunflowers to shame. When everyone saw Qiao Nian¡¯s charming smile, they finally understood what that sentence meant. ording 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¡ªno, Principal Qiao¡ªI 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 ount 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 nned. 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 red 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 ying hard to get in order to seduce him. Su Yan cleared his throat and smiled in a gentlemanly manner. ¡°Can we talk?¡± Qiao Nian nced 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 gettingte. 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. Chapter 66 - 66 Playing Hard to Get ?66: ying Hard to Get 66: ying Hard to Get Editor: As Studios Su Yan was momentarily stunned. Previously, he had thought that Qiao Nian was ying hard to get, but now her attitude puzzled him. ¡°Then let¡¯s talk here.¡± Su Yan stuffed a hand in his pocket and nced 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 nced 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 smallugh. Seeing Qiao Nianugh, 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 butugh. 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 be a film director with the fictional things you¡¯re spouting!¡± Su Yan nced 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 nced 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 iming 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!¡± Chapter 67 - 67 Aggrieved ?67: Aggrieved 67: Aggrieved Editor: As Studios 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-rted 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 andforted 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 nced 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 nced 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 nced 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 wildss 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 apetition. 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. ¡°Congrattions, Brother Su Yan.¡± Qiao Xin looked at Su Yan happily, then at Wang An. After some hesitation, she asked, ¡°Principal, may Ie with the two of you?¡± Chapter 68 - 68 Acting Innocent ?68: Acting Innocent 68: Acting Innocent Editor: As Studios Wang An didn¡¯t even bother granting Qiao Xin a look of nce 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. Herposure 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,e 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 uncontrobly. ¡°Brother Su Yan.¡± Qiao Xin lowered her head and sniffled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing you trouble!¡± Qiao Xin¡¯s words sessfully 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 nowpletely certain that Qiao Nian was ying 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 woulde 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 vi. She parked her car at the entrance of the Gu family¡¯s vi. 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. Chapter 69 - 69 Confession ?69: Confession 69: Confession Editor: As Studios 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 gazesnding 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 nce that it was not an ordinary pendant. Seeing that Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian hade down, Qiao Xin looked at them happily. In an excited manner, she asked, ¡°Sister, Brother-inw, 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-inw, 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 nned 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-inw for you. I believe Brother-inw 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-inw, you¡¯ll forgive Sister, right?¡± At this moment, the butler led a young and handsome man with gold-rimmed sses 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 ss. 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 red at Qiao Nian in a rage. Chapter 70 - 70 The Owner of the Pendant ?70: The Owner of the Pendant 70: The Owner of the Pendant Editor: As 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 aplicated 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¡¯vee 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 ced 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 be 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 foring here, he said, ¡°Do exin. 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! Chapter 71 - 71 Wang Lin ?71: Wang Lin 71: Wang Lin Editor: As Studios Qiao Xin wasn¡¯tpletely stupid. Worried that she would give herself away, she hurriedly lowered her head. However, her mind was in a mess. She had to investigate what exactly had happened back then. ¡°Actually, this pendant doesn¡¯t belong to my sister. I just wanted to test if Brother-inw would misunderstand my sister. Brother-inw, I was really just joking¡­¡± Qiao Xin said, her expression serious. At this moment, Qiao Nian was looking at Lu Zhu expressionlessly. She tried hard to suppress the inexplicable affection she felt for Lu Zhu. Gu Zhou gave Qiao Xin a meaningful look. As if he was an outsider, he exined impassively, ¡°This pendant is very important to him.¡± ¡°This pendant was from five years ago, during the autumn season¡­¡± Qiao Xin made up her mind and stepped forward. Smiling at Qiao Nian, she was just about to spill everything when she was interrupted by hurried footsteps¡­ ¡°Second Young Master!¡± Su Xue hurried into the room anxiously. ¡°Who are you¡­¡± Frowning, Lu Zhu looked toward the woman. ¡°Mr. Lu, this is my mother.¡± Qiao Xin thought to herself about how fortunate it was that she had called Su Xue before she arrived. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle this situation alone. ¡°Mom, why are you here?¡± Qiao Xin turned to look at Su Xue, pretending not to know anything. She looked innocent and harmless. Seeing how sweet and obedient Qiao Xin was, Su Xue¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but turn red. She began to speak in a persuading manner. ¡°Xinxin, we¡¯ve already hidden that matter from everyone for five years. We can¡¯t keep it a secret anymore.¡± Qiao Nian, who was standing to the side, frowned slightly. She didn¡¯t think Su Xue would tell the truth about the evil acts she had carried out back then. But Qiao Xin hadn¡¯t understood. She looked at Su Xue in utter shock, disbelief written all over her face. ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°I know that you and Wang Lin are close friends, but how can you beat those big shots yourself?¡± When Gu Zhou heard the name ¡°Wang Lin¡±, a trace of shock shed in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared. ¡°Mom!¡± Qiao Xin had no idea who Wang Lin was. She looked at Su Xue in confusion. Su Xue tugged at Qiao Xin¡¯s arm and said sternly, ¡°For some things, it¡¯s better to tell the truth as it is. Five years ago, Wang Lin was drugged, and someone assaulted her, ruining her purity. After that, she died in childbirth. I know you¡¯ve always wanted to find the person who hurt your friend, and avenge her, but we have to act within our means!¡± Qiao Nian stood coldly at the side. She felt that Su Xue must truly be talented at making things up. Wasn¡¯t Su Xue afraid that Lu Zhu would investigate this matter? Su Xue pulled Qiao Xin behind her, giving a helpless sigh. ¡°Mr. Lu, Xinxin and Wang Lin were good friends. Xin Xin has always wanted to avenge her, so she tends to spout nonsense. I¡¯ll definitely prevent her from spouting nonsense in the future.¡± Lu Zhu toyed with the pendant in his hand and asked seriously, ¡°So you¡¯re saying that¡­ the girl from that night five years ago was Wang Lin?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes. We didn¡¯t know that this pendant was yours either. If we had known¡­¡± Before Su Xue could finish her sentence, Lu Zhu interrupted her. ¡°Did anyone say this pendant was mine?¡± Lu Zhu ced the pendant on the coffee table. His voice was cool and pleasant to the ear. Qiao Nian looked at Lu Zhu in shock. ¡°That night, I drank too much. Someone took my pendant. I didn¡¯t expect that person tomit such acts and use this pendant as an identifier.¡± Lu Zhu frowned, his expression displeased. Qiao Xin inhaled. Fortunately, she hadn¡¯t blurted out that she herself was the woman from five years ago. Otherwise, in the eyes of everyone, wouldn¡¯t her purity be ruined? Hearing Lu Zhu¡¯s words, Qiao Nian lowered her gaze in disappointment. It seemed that it would truly be difficult to find that person. Su Xue was the first to react. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, she congratted Lu Zhu on finding the pendant. Then, she pulled Qiao Xin away to leave. ¡°Hold on.¡± Gu Zhou red at Qiao Xin coldly. Qiao Xin and Su Xue both turned to look at Gu Zhou. ¡°Were you friends with Wang Lin?¡± Gu Zhou looked calmly at Qiao Xin. Chapter 72 - 72 The Precious Daughter of the Lu family ?72: The Precious Daughter of the Lu family 72: The Precious Daughter of the Lu family Editor: As Studios ¡°Yes.¡± Qiao Xin nodded, her heart beating wildly. ¡°How old would she be now if she were alive?¡± ¡°Almost twenty-two,¡± Su Xue said sadly. Then she sighed, looking as if she was feeling sorry for Wang Lin. Gu Zhou didn¡¯t speak, but looked meaningfully at Su Xue and Qiao Xin. Although Qiao Xin didn¡¯t understand what Su Xue had meant to achieve, or why Gu Zhou was asking more questions, she still put on a broken-hearted facade, even managing to squeeze out a few tears. Su Xue brought Qiao Xin out of the room. Just as the two of them reached the living room door, they heard Gu Zhou speak. ¡°Butler, don¡¯t let any Tom, Dick, or Harry in here again!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Second Young Master. There won¡¯t be a next time,¡± the butler said, his voice tinged with fear. Su Xue stopped in her tracks, cold sweat breaking out on her back. She nced at Qiao Xin, who was standing next to her. She regretted her actions now. If Qiao Xin had married into the Gu family as nned, she could visit the Gu vi as and when she pleased. If that happened, Gu Zhou would definitely treat her with utmost respect and hospitality. Qiao Nian looked at the two people leaving, then at Gu Zhou and Lu Zhu. She pursed her lips. How could these two men believe Su Xue¡¯s words so easily? Oh, right. Why had she never heard of the name Wang Lin? ¡°Qiao Nian.¡± Qiao Nian came back to her senses. She looked up at Gu Zhou. Meeting those dark eyes, she couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. ¡°Do you think your mother is telling the truth?¡± Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian intently, his voice as deep and pleasant as ever. Qiao Nian was stunned. She didn¡¯t understand why Gu Zhou was asking her this. She pretended to think carefully, then shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t believe her?¡± Gu Zhou studied Qiao Nian¡¯s face, as if he weremitting her every expression to memory. ¡°I think you don¡¯t believe her yourself. Since you don¡¯t believe her, then go and investigate.¡± Qiao Nian smiled. ¡°If I remember correctly, right after Lu Zhu lost the pendant, you were sent to the mental hospital.¡± As soon as Gu Zhou finished speaking, Qiao Nian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Her expression faltered slightly. Was Gu Zhou suspecting her? Qiao Nian lowered her gaze, sighed, and nodded. ¡°Is there any connection between the two events?¡± Gu Zhou didn¡¯t expose Qiao Nian either. Casually, he asked, ¡°Then, do you know Wang Lin?¡± Qiao Nian shook her head and replied impassively, ¡°No.¡± Qiao Nian didn¡¯t want Gu Zhou to continue questioning her. She continued, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll make a trip down to the pharmacy to prepare your medicine.¡± Gu Zhou nodded. When Qiao Nian passed by Lu Zhu, she nced up at him. She still found Lu Zhu familiar, but try as she might, she simply couldn¡¯t recall where she had seen him. However, Qiao Nian retracted her gaze very quickly and continued walking out of the room. After Qiao Nian left, Lu Zhu sat downzily on the sofa and asked, ¡°You¡¯ve found the pendant. Ah Zhou, what do you n to do with it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a dirty thing. I¡¯ll throw it away.¡± Gu Zhou thought of Qiao Xin¡¯s hypocritical face and felt inexplicably disgusted. Lu Zhu could understand Gu Zhou¡¯s actions. Someone else had been wearing something that belonged to him for such a long period of time. Even though he had gotten it back, it could no longer be clean now. ¡°Do you believe what they said?¡± Gu Zhou snorted and said, ¡°If it¡¯s false, they¡¯ll give themselves away very quickly.¡± Lu Zhu nodded and stood up. ¡°I should leave. I have other things to do tomorrow.¡± ¡°Visiting your sister again, I assume.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lu Zhu answered. His eyes were a little red as he pursed his lips. ¡°She¡¯s been gone for nearly twenty years now¡­¡± Gu Zhou recalled that when the daughter of the Lu family had died, her body could not be found. No matter how hard the Lu family tried, they could not find her body. Moreover, the daughter of the Lu family had been betrothed to him. Gu Zhou ced a hand on Lu Zhu¡¯s shoulder and patted him once. ¡°She will live on forever in everyone¡¯s hearts.¡± Thinking of his younger sister¡¯s photograph, Lu Zhu felt a lump rise up in his throat. He nodded and walked out. Chapter 73 - 73 Relapse ?73: Rpse 73: Rpse Editor: As Studios Gu Zhou saw Lu Zhu off. His expression was dark, as if he were a monster from hell. He had investigated the incident five years ago and found that Wang Lin was involved, but Wang Lin had already died by then. Could it be that the person who had saved his life was really Wang Lin? He had seen photos of Wang Lin. She was a thin and weak girl. Gu Zhou sat on the sofa. When he thought of how that small and weak-looking girl had suffered through her pregnancy alone, only to die in despair during childbirth, he found himself unable to breathe. She was dead. When he thought of this, Gu Zhou¡¯s breathing grew heavier and heavier, and his eyes grew red. His heart felt empty. It was as if he had fallen into the depths of the sea. He found himself enshrouded in suffocation and pain, no longer able to see the light from the surface of the ocean. Perhaps he was the one who should have died. With this thought in mind, Gu Zhou gave up struggling and obediently sank into the sea. When Qiao Nian came in, she saw Gu Zhou lying on the sofa, his face unnaturally pale. She asked worriedly, ¡°Gu Zhou, what¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡± The bottom of the sea was so quiet, so very quiet. Gu Zhou was watching himself approach Wang Lin on the operating table. Wang Lin was lying there, so skinny that she was all skin and bones. Her eyes,rge as round bells, were fixed doggedly on the surgical light above her head. Her child was crying its lungs out in a pool of blood. He picked up the child and looked at Wang Lin¡¯s pitiful state. His body began shaking uncontrobly. Gu Zhou came back to his senses. He was now lying at the bottom of the sea with Wang Lin beside him. At this moment, Wang Lin looked just like how she had looked when she was dying on the operating table. At this moment, a gentle voice came from the surface of the ocean, calling out to him. ¡°Gu Zhou.¡± ¡°Gu Zhou.¡± ¡­ The voice grew louder. He was about to respond when he saw a hand reach down from above and grab his hand. ¡°I¡¯m here. You¡¯ll be fine.¡± The gentle female voice rang out again, soothing Gu Zhou¡¯s tumultuous and uneasy heart. He followed the hand up and up until he resurfaced. Light. It shone down on him, almost blinding in its brightness. His chest heaved once. Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes flew open. The first thing that came into his vision was Qiao Nian¡¯s pretty face. She no longer looked as calm as she usually did. Beads of sweat had formed on her forehead, and her hair was stered to her face. Instinctively, Gu Zhou let go of Qiao Nian¡¯s hand, forcibly suppressing his anger. ¡°Get out!¡± Qiao Nian stood up calmly. Stepping to the side, she said, ¡°I told you, as long as I¡¯m still your wife, I won¡¯t leave you behind. I won¡¯t be a widow either.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s mind was filled with images of Wang Lin¡¯s expression of despair. His eyes grew redder and redder. He sat up and said angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± ¡°Good boy, listen to me. You need to rest!¡± Qiao Nian smiled at Gu Zhou. Good boy? Gu Zhou¡¯s expression darkened. Breathing heavily, he tried to say something, but he felt a cold, painful sensation at the back of his head. His eyelids grew heavy. Hey on the beach, basking in the sun. The sun was so warm andfortable. Qiao Nian carefullyid Gu Zhou on the sofa. She retracted the silver needle she had inserted at the back of his head. After she put it away, her gaze fell on Gu Zhou¡¯s hands. There were many marks on his hands, some new, some old. When he had flown into that panic attack, he had been clenching his fists tightly, almost as if his life depended on it. Was his dream that terrifying? Just as Qiao Nian was about to leave, Gu Zhou¡¯s indistinct voice came from the sofa behind her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡± Startled, Qiao Nian turned to look at him. He was still frowning, as if he were in a nightmare. His eyshes were trembling. She sat down beside him again to see if he was awake. Suddenly, his hand grasped hers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡± Gu Zhou murmured softly. Qiao Nian carefully inspected Gu Zhou. If she wasn¡¯t wrong, he was talking in his sleep. Chapter 74 - 74 Bridal Carry ?74: Bridal Carry 74: Bridal Carry Editor: As Studios Was he apologizing? Apologizing to whom? Perhaps this was why his illness often red up. Qiao Nian wanted to retract her hand and leave, but his grip was too tight. She gave up. After an indeterminate amount of time, Qiao Nian grew sleepy and fell asleep on her side. The servants in the house were also afraid of waking them up, so they did not dare to approach. Slowly, night fell. In a daze, Gu Zhou opened his eyes. All he could see was darkness. He had just moved his hand when he felt a faint softness in his palm. Under the moonlight, he saw that he had been holding Qiao Nian¡¯s hand. His expression changed and he hurriedly let go. Qiao Nian casually took her hand aside. In a daze, she fell asleep again. Gu Zhou¡¯s expression darkened. Had he actually fallen asleep on the sofa with Qiao Nian? How was this possible? How could he let his guard down around an outsider? At this moment, footsteps could be heard from outside. Following that, the lights in the living room were switched on. Gu Zhou instinctively squinted his eyes. When he got used to the brightness, he saw Zhao Qian walking in, supporting Grandma. On the way here, Matriarch Gu had heard from someone that Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian were sleeping side by side. She was so happy that her smile had nearly split her face apart. Now, in a low voice, she said dotingly, ¡°Ah Zhou, quickly carry Nian Nian back to her room to sleep. Don¡¯t let her catch a cold.¡± Carry Qiao Nian? Zhao Qian frowned slightly and quickly said, ¡°Grandma, Second Brother¡­¡± Zhao Qian was about to say that Gu Zhou had a fear of women when she saw Gu Zhou pick up Qiao Nian in a bridal carry and walk towards the second floor with an indifferent expression. The light in Zhao Qian¡¯s petal-shaped eyes gradually faded until her eyes had turnedpletely dark. Oh, right. When Second Brother was with Qiao Nian, he lost his fearpletely. Matriarch Gu looked at Zhao Qian in confusion. Seeing that her mind was somewhere else, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What did you want to say just now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Zhao Qian said insincerely. How was this fair? How was it that Second Brother no longer feared women only when he was with Qiao Nian? This wasn¡¯t fair. She had clearly known Gu Zhou for a longer time than Qiao Nian had. Why wouldn¡¯t Gu Zhou touch her? Matriarch Gu had no idea what Zhao Qian was thinking. She walked to the sofa and sat down. When she thought of how Gu Zhou had carried Qiao Nian, her eyes filled with joy. This child, Gu Zhou. Ever since he was a child, he had never liked to talk. Neither did he like to interact much with the opposite sex. After that incident five years ago, he immediately contracted a phobia of females. The only woman he hadn¡¯t been afraid of was her, his grandmother. Sigh. As his grandmother, she was really worried about his marriage¡ªthe biggest event in his life. She was truly afraid that Gu Zhou would be alone for the rest of his life. Zhao Qian sat down beside Matriarch Gu and nced at the bandages on the coffee table. Her eyes darted to the side, and she said, ¡°Grandma, Second Brother¡¯s hands seem to be¡­¡± When Matriarch Gu heard Zhao Qian¡¯s words, she pursed her lips in annoyance and said, ¡°His hands must have suffered some small injury, nothing more. What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Would he be unable to carry his wife just because of some cuts? Surely that would be too melodramatic of him!¡± Zhao Qian was speechless. She looked at Matriarch Gu in disbelief. In the past, whenever Gu Zhou did something, Grandma would always be worried sick over him. ¡°Grandma, should we still tell Second Brother about what happened today?¡± Zhao Qian asked hesitantly. She had only taken one nce at Second Brother today. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± At the thought of Gu Zhou picking Qiao Nian up, Matriarch Gu couldn¡¯t help but smile. It seemed that the Gu family would gain a grandchild very soon. ¡°Nothing is more important than him providingpany for his wife. Alright, take me back to my room!¡± Matriarch Gu returned to her room. Seeing that Zhao Qian was about to leave, she hurriedly called Zhao Qian over and said, ¡°Qian Qian,e and take a look at this.¡± Zhao Qian looked at Matriarch Gu in confusion and took the photograph from her. There were many young and handsome men in the photograph. ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t know any of these people!¡± Chapter 75 - 75 Blind Date ?75: Blind Date 75: Blind Date Editor: As Studios ¡°These are all potential partners for blind dates!¡± Matriarch Gu looked at Zhao Qian with a smile and saw that Zhao Qian had her head lowered. Thinking Zhao Qian was just shy, she quickly exined. ¡°All grown men should find a wife, and all grown women should find a husband. You¡¯re not young anymore. It¡¯s about time for a blind date.¡± ¡°Grandma.¡± Zhao Qian ced the photograph on the coffee table beside her. Leaning against Matriarch Gu affectionately, she said while blushing, ¡°I want to stay by your side, always.¡± ¡°How can that be?¡± How could Matriarch Gu not be aware of Zhao Qian¡¯s little ns? However, it wasn¡¯t up to her to expose that matter. ¡°All girls have to get married eventually.¡± Zhao Qian smiled helplessly. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m still young. I want to finish my studies first.¡± ¡°Oh, you. Regardless of whether you¡¯ll get married, you should find a boyfriend first.¡± Matriarch Gu nced at the photograph on the coffee table and continued, ¡°You can also find a boyfriend from school. Bring him home for Grandma to take a look, and I¡¯ll examine him to make sure he¡¯s up to standard!¡± Zhao Qian felt even more helpless. ¡°I raised you single-handedly. I¡¯m going to organize your marriage myself!¡± Zhao Qian was suddenly touched. She stared intently at Matriarch Gu and spoke softly. ¡°Grandma.¡± ¡°Are there any boys you like in school?¡± Matriarch Gu asked seriously. Zhao Qian shook her head shyly. ¡°What about this? I think the eldest young master of the Li family isn¡¯t a bad choice. Would you like to meet him at Sunset Cafe tomorrow?¡± Matriarch Gu said, picking up the photograph on the coffee table and handing it to Zhao Qian. Zhao Qian nced at Matriarch Gu and took the photograph hesitantly. She looked at the photograph. This man was not bad-looking either. If she recalled correctly, Matriarch Gu was referring to Li Kun. Li Kun was one of the most distinguished gentlemen here. If she continued to decline, she would seem like an ungrateful wretch. Zhao Qian pursed her lips. Smiling, she nodded. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled. Go back to your room and sleep!¡± Matriarch Gu gave a satisfied smile. ¡°Okay.¡± As Zhao Qian spoke, she stood up and walked towards the door. On the way back to her room, she kept thinking about how to ruin the blind date. ¡­ The next morning. Elegant music began to y in the room. Qiao Nian was still half asleep. She groped blindly around her pillow, but still didn¡¯t manage to grab her phone. In the end, she gave up and got out of bed. Seeing that her phone was on the bedside table, she grabbed it and put it beside her ear. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Nian Nian, something has happened. Come and help me!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Qiao Nian was still not fully conscious. ¡°Help me go on a blind date!¡± Su Xiao¡¯s anxious voice rang through the phone. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a firm disbeliever of marriage?¡± As Qiao Nian spoke, she nced around. This was her room. Why couldn¡¯t she remember when she had returned? Su Xiao said helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s my mother, of course. She¡¯s insisting that I go on a blind date. Can you go as my recement? Oh right, it¡¯s at Sunset Cafe at ten o¡¯clock!¡± Qiao Nian hung up and saw Su Xiao¡¯s text. She tidied up briefly and left. Qiao Nian appeared at Sunset Cafe with a bouquet of tulips in her hands. From afar, she saw a man with a tulip on his table, and hurriedly walked towards him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry for beingte.¡± Qiao Nian looked apologetic as she swiftly took a seat opposite the man. Li Kun was reading a contract on his phone when he heard her gentle voice. He looked up and saw a fair-skinned beauty sitting opposite him. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Miss Zhao. Please have a seat.¡± Li Kun smiled at Qiao Nian. ¡°I arrived early.¡± Miss Zhao? What was going on? However, when Qiao Nian saw the token they had agreed on, the tulip, she pushed that surprise to the back of her mind. ¡°Thank you.¡± As the two of them chatted, Li Kun looked at Qiao Nian, his eyes full of friendliness. He asked, ¡°What do you do in your free time?¡± Chapter 76 - 76 Awkward ?76: Awkward 76: Awkward Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian was here to ruin the blind date anyway. She casually leaned back in her chair. After some thought, she smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m a very busy person. I sleep, eat, and y games.¡± The smile on Li Kun¡¯s face grew even brighter. This was the first time he had met such an interesting and realistic girl. ¡°Mr. Li, I¡¯m here today to say¡­¡± Before Qiao Nian could finish her sentence, she saw Zhao Qian walking in with .tulips in her hands Qiao Nian frowned slightly. Seeing Zhao Qian approach them, she suddenly recalled that Li Kun had greeted her as ¡°Miss Zhao¡±. Instantly, she realized that the man in front of her was on a blind date with Zhao Qian. ¡°Er¡­¡± Qiao Nian stood up and said awkwardly,¡± I¡¯m sorry, I think I¡¯ve mistaken you for someone else. ¡± Li Kun looked at Qiao Nian in surprise, disappointment shing in his eyes. Zhao Qian walked over, holding a bouquet of tulips. When she saw Qiao Nian, she looked surprised. ¡°Second¡­¡± Zhao Qian swallowed the words that were about to leave her mouth. Second Brother had been very low-key about his marriage, so many people didn¡¯t know the identity of the Second Young Madam of the Gu family. Deep down, she didn¡¯t want Qiao Nian to be Gu Zhou¡¯s wife either. ¡°Sister, why are you here?¡± Zhao Qian looked at Qiao Nian in shock. Qiao Nian quickly picked up the flowers. With an apologetic smile on her face, she said nonchntly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I mistook him for someone else. Go on, go on!¡± As Qiao Nian spoke, she stood up, holding the flowers. She looked around and saw a man sitting by the window. There was a tulip next to his hand. Indeed, she had made a mistake! Qiao Nian hurriedly walked over. Frowning slightly, Zhao Qian watched as Qiao Nian began her blind date with another man. Her gaze fell on Li Kun¡¯s face. Seeing Li Kun staring at Qiao Nian longingly, she smiled. She didn¡¯t even have to do anything else. This blind date was already ruined. With this in mind, Zhao Qian no longer felt burdened. She sat down across from Li Kun and said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Li, how do you do!¡± Only then did Li Kun reluctantly drag his gaze away from Qiao Nian and onto Zhao Qian¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Li Kun said guiltily, noticing that he had forgotten himself. ¡°Mr. Li, it¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to take it to heart. Just treat this as a chance to make another friend,¡± Zhao Qian said sweetly, smiling at Li Kun. Li Kun nodded perfunctorily. He couldn¡¯t help but nce at Qiao Nian again. Then, he remembered that he was on a blind date, and could only force himself to look at Zhao Qian. ¡°Miss Zhao, your family must have urged you toe here, right?¡± Li Kun said with a smile. The smile on Zhao Qian¡¯s face didn¡¯t change, but her heart skipped a beat. She understood that Li Kun had most likely only changed his mind after seeing Qiao Nian. ¡°Grandma wanted me to marry as soon as possible. I¡¯m sorry for making things difficult for you.¡± Zhao Qian still had a bright smile on her face as she spoke politely. Hearing Zhao Qian¡¯s words, Li Kun secretly heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Miss Zhao is really as understanding and kind as the rumors say. From now on, we¡¯ll be friends.¡± Zhao Qian gave a small smile. ¡°Just now, Miss Zhao called thatdy Sister. The two of you¡­¡± Li Kun probed. Zhao Qian looked at Li Kun. As if she had suddenly remembered something, she said, ¡°We¡¯re quite close. She¡¯s my older sister.¡± Zhao Qian followed Li Kun¡¯s gaze and saw Qiao Nian sitting opposite a man in his thirties. Why would Qiao Nian go on a blind date with another man? Could it be that Qiao Nian knew that she would be chased out of the Gu family sooner orter, so she was trying to find a husband beforehand? At the thought of this, Zhao Qian was overjoyed. She had to tell Grandma and Second Brother the good news. Then, she would see what Qiao Nian would be able to say. At this moment, Qiao Nian was trapped in an abyss of suffering. All she could hear was the unending rambling of the other man, and she caught herself slowly dozing off. Chapter 77 - 77 Blind Date with a Beast ?77: Blind Date with a Beast 77: Blind Date with a Beast Editor: As Studios ¡°Miss Su, I heard that you¡¯re the head designer. No wonder you give off a simply outstanding aura.¡± ¡°Miss Su, you seem to be quite eligible, just barely worthy of me. I won¡¯t ask much of you. I just want you to stay at home after we get married to take care of your husband and children.¡± ¡°Miss Su, after we get married, I¡¯ll be in charge of the external affairs, while you¡¯ll be in charge of the internal affairs. I¡¯m not young anymore, and I need to have a child soon. If possible, we¡¯ll go for a fertility examination soon.¡± ¡°Miss Su, before we get married, our assets have to be fairly divided. What¡¯s yours is mine, and what¡¯s mine is still mine.¡± ¡­ Qiao Nian frowned. She thought to herself that if Su Xiao hade, she would have pped this man long ago. She sat up straight and smiled at the man. Seeing that the man was stunned, she pursed her lips. Just then, the service staff arrived with two steaks. Qiao Nian smiled at the service staff and said in fluent English, ¡°Hello, can I have a cup of warm water? I would also like a pair of chopsticks.¡± Li Yuan, who was sitting directly across from Qiao Nian, had never expected her to be so unsophisticated. Wasn¡¯t she the head designer? How could she not know that one had to use a knife and fork to eat steak? Didn¡¯t she know that one didn¡¯t ask for warm water in Western restaurants? Didn¡¯t she know that the employees of this Western restaurant were all from Country M? Li Yuan did not want to be looked down upon by the service staff. He quickly said in English, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, she doesn¡¯t need chopsticks or warm water. She wants a ss of ice water.¡± Seeing that the service staff was about to leave, Qiao Nian repeated her request. The service staff nodded and left. After the service staff left, Li Yuan could no longer stand it. He turned to Qiao Nian coldly and said, ¡°Miss Su, you have to use a knife and fork to eat steak, not chopsticks!¡± ¡°Also, there¡¯s only ice water here, not warm water,¡± Li Yuan said firmly. Qiao Nian threw her fork and knife onto the table, instantly attracting everyone¡¯s attention, including Zhao Qian and Li Kun. Only then did Li Kun realize that the man was actually his third uncle. Li Yuan sensed that other people were now staring at him. When he thought about how he had been embarrassed by the woman in front of him, he mmed the table in a rage and stood up. ¡°You look like a decent human being, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be so stubbornly old-fashioned!¡± The more Li Yuan thought about it, the angrier he became. ¡°When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Don¡¯t you understand? We¡¯re in a Western restaurant, so we have to follow the rules of Western cuisine.¡± ¡°All I know is that we should do whatever isfortable. Why can¡¯t we use chopsticks when we¡¯re eating steak?¡± Qiao Nian sat there calmly, looking fearlessly at Li Yuan. ¡°Everyone values cultural integration. Why are you the exception?¡± Li Yuan was at a loss for words. She was right. Everyone valued cultural integration these days. Qiao Nian continued, ¡°You want me to be a full-time stay-at-home wife, and you want all my money to belong to you. Where in the world can you find such a good nanny for free? Oh right, if you manage to find one, do rmend one to me. I need a nanny to make money for me!¡± Li Yuan was so angry that his face turned green. He raised his hand, preparing to hit Qiao Nian, but someone grabbed his hand in midair. Li Yuan turned his head and saw that it was Li Kun. His expression turned ugly. He said furiously, ¡°Let go of me!¡± His nephew had seen him on a blind date. How embarrassing! ¡°Third Uncle, remember that you¡¯re a gentleman,¡± Li Kun said resignedly. ¡°There¡¯s no need for grace. Let go of me!¡± Lee Yuan was livid. ¡°I¡¯m going to beat this b*tch to death!¡± Qiao Nian looked at Li Yuan¡¯s face, full of rage and humiliation, and frowned. ¡°Is the middleman of this blind date a human or a dog? How could he make me go on a blind date with a beast?¡± Li Yuan¡¯s expression darkened further. It was now so dark that one could practically see ink dripping off his face. ¡°Let go of me! I¡¯m going to beat this b*tch to death!¡± Li Yuan had never been insulted like this in his life, and he was livid. Hearing Li Yuan¡¯s words, Qiao Nian gave a faint smile and continued, ¡°The only words thate out of your mouth are swear words. If you¡¯re not a beast, then what else could you be?¡± Chapter 78 - 78 The Impotent Man ?78: The Impotent Man 78: The Impotent Man Editor: As Studios At this moment, Zhao Qian walked over. She nced at Li Yuan, then at Qiao Nian, asking worriedly, ¡°Sister, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± As Qiao Nian spoke, her phone began to ring. Seeing that it was Su Xiao calling, Qiao Nian got ready to leave the restaurant to answer the call. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Li Yuan pushed Li Kun away and stood directly in Qiao Nian¡¯s path. ¡°You¡¯re paying for this meal!¡± Qiao Nian stood there in silence. She looked at Li Yuan calmly, as if she was looking at a pile of shit. Li Yuan sensed the disdain in Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze and raised his hand in anger, preparing to hit her. Qiao Nian grabbed Li Yuan¡¯s hand. In a burst of strength, she dislocated his hand as she pushed him away, taking the opportunity to p him hard as well. Li Yuan¡¯s hand and face ached terribly. He looked at Qiao Nian in a rage. If looks could kill, Qiao Nian would have died a thousand times over. ¡°How dare you hit me? I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯ll kill you right now!¡± Lee Yuan threatened her without hesitation. Qiao Nian picked up a wet towel from the table and elegantly wiped her hands clean. With a disdainful expression, she said, ¡°You look down on women just because you have a few dors. All you do is keep insisting that they be full-time housewives for you. You even say that your wife¡¯s money should belong to you. Is your brain filled with shit? You¡¯re so fat. Is whatever you have between your legs no longer functional? You should go to the hospital to treat your impotence first.¡± Li Yuan¡¯s face was now flushed red with embarrassment. He did not expect this woman to immediately discover his impotence. However, he was still in public, so he had to continue pretending no matter what. He snapped, ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± Li Kun stood at the side. Looking at Qiao Nian¡¯s valiant and charming figure, his heart began to race. Seeing that Qiao Nian was leaving, he hurriedly chased after her. ¡°Miss Qiao.¡± Qiao Nian was about to pick up the phone when she heard Li Kun¡¯s voice. She turned around and saw that Li Kun and Zhao Qian had both stepped out of the restaurant. Qiao Nian was no fool. Li Kun and Zhao Qian were supposed to have a blind date today, but there was something wrong with the way Li Kun was looking at her. He seemed to have taken a liking to her. Then, wouldn¡¯t she ruin Zhao Qian¡¯s good fortune? As she thought about this, Qiao Nian¡¯s frown deepened. She looked coldly at Li Kun and asked, ¡°Mr. Li, can I help you?¡± Li Kun also sensed that Qiao Nian was distancing herself from him. Thinking that Qiao Nian was trying to make boundaries clear because of his Third Uncle, he hurriedly said in an ingratiating manner, ¡°Miss Qiao, my Third Uncle is someone who will seek revenge for the smallest grievance. Why don¡¯t I send you back?¡± Under the sunlight, Li Kun had a faint smile on his face, making one feel as warm as the summer wind. ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Qiao Nian said indifferently. She was about to hail a taxi when she saw a car stop in front of her. Chen Qing? Why was he here? After Chen Qing got out of the car, he walked to the back seat and opened the door for Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian got in. After closing the car door, Chen Qing turned to look at Zhao Qian. Smiling, he asked, ¡°Miss Zhao, would you like to return home with us?¡± Zhao Qian looked at the door of Chen Qing¡¯s car, which was already closed. Her lips spasmed. Chen Qing had clearly never intended for her to get in the car. ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave first.¡± Without waiting for Zhao Qian to reply, Chen Qing began to walk towards the driver¡¯s seat. Zhao Qian watched as the car drove off. She stood by the side of the road, her mind in a mess. For as long as she could remember, her second brother had never once asked Chen Qing to specially pick her up. Li Kun looked at the car and frowned slightly, thinking of the young man who had just gotten out of the car. ¡°Miss Zhao, was that Chen Qing?¡± Gu Zhou rarely went out, but Chen Qing often did. In public, Chen Qing represented Gu Zhou. Chapter 79 - 79 Failed Blind Date ?79: Failed Blind Date 79: Failed Blind Date Editor: As Studios Zhao Qian came back to her senses with a jolt. Still wearing an elegant smile, she nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Li Kun¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, but it quickly cleared. He said, ¡°Chen Qing is Gu Zhou¡¯s secretary and bodyguard. He came to pick Miss Qiao up personally. Miss Zhao, what exactly is your Second Brother¡¯s rtionship with Miss Qiao?¡± A trace of panic shed in Zhao Qian¡¯s eyes. She could not tell anyone about Second Brother¡¯s marriage. Otherwise, when she married Second Brother, others would ridicule her for being his second wife. Zhao Qian¡¯s mind raced. She gave a faint smile and said gently, ¡°Sister Qiao has good medical skills. Grandma¡¯s legs haven¡¯t been welltely. Sister Qiao has been the one helping with the treatment. Now, Sister Qiao is also helping Second Brother with his illness.¡± She knew medicine? She was so outstanding, and she had such an interesting soul. At this moment, Li Kun felt that she was the other half he was looking for. His heart was beating faster and faster. Li Kun turned to look at Zhao Qian and said, ¡°Miss Zhao, although my next request is very presumptuous, I still want to ask if you can give me Miss Qiao¡¯s contact information.¡± The smile on Zhao Qian¡¯s face did not change. However, her heart had already sunk to the bottom. ¡­ When Zhao Qian returned home, the sky had already turned dark. When she heard from the servant that it was time for dinner, she took the initiative to go upstairs to invite Matriarch Gu to dine with her. At this moment, Matriarch Gu was painting in the study. When she saw Zhao Qian, she hurriedly put down the brush in her hand and called Zhao Qian over. ¡°Qian Qian,e over and take a look. What do you think of my painting?¡± Zhao Qian smiled and walked over. She greeted, ¡°Grandma.¡± Her gaze fell on the painting on Matriarch Gu¡¯s desk. She looked at the lotus flowers in the painting and smiled. ¡°Grandma¡¯s painting is simply amazing. Theyout of this lotus flower painting is unrestrained and imposing. The general air of the painting is one of risk but with a firm foundation, and carries limitless vitality. The strokes are unbelievably powerful and strong, and theposition is amazing. The aesthetic effect is obvious. This is a rare masterpiece.¡± Zhao Qian smiled at Matriarch Gu and said admiringly, ¡°Grandma, you can even be a great artist in Chinese painting now.¡± ¡°This child. Your mouth is as sweet as honey.¡± Matriarch Gu looked at Zhao Qian with a happy smile and pointed at the pair of mandarin ducks in the river. ¡°This is what I wanted you to see.¡± Zhao Qian blushed slightly when she saw the birds. ¡°When you get married, this painting will be framed and hung in your new home.¡± Matriarch Gu looked at her painting in satisfaction. Her gaze fell on Zhao Qian¡¯s face and she asked, ¡°How was your blind date this time?¡± Hearing Matriarch Gu¡¯s words, Zhao Qian hesitated. She did not speak. Matriarch Gu¡¯s smile faded. She looked worriedly at Zhao Qian and asked, ¡°Did he not make an appearance?¡± Zhao Qian hurriedly shook her head and said, ¡°Mr. Li doesn¡¯t seem to be interested in me.¡± When Matriarch Gu heard this, she was stunned. Zhao Qian had grown up by her side and was raised single-handedly by her. How could Li Kun not be interested in Zhao Qian? She had been taking note of Li Kun for a long time and felt that he was outstanding in every way. That was why she had arranged for Zhao Qian to go on a blind date with him. However, Matriarch Gu could not ask why directly. Still, she would feel ufortable if she didn¡¯t know. She could not help but ask, ¡°Did he say something awful?¡± Zhao Qian lowered her gaze in embarrassment. Biting her lip, she shook her head and said, ¡°He¡¯s just¡­ Second Sister-inw¡­¡± Matriarch Gu was confused. Zhao Qian exined, ¡°Second Sister-inw was also at the cafe at that time. She wanted to meet someone with the surname Li, so she mistook Li Kun for the gentleman she wanted to meet. Li Kun also thought that she was me, and he¡­¡± Towards the end, Zhao Qian lowered her head and said, ¡°He¡¯s taken a liking to Second Sister-inw.¡± When Matriarch Gu heard Zhao Qian¡¯s words, she instantly understood. She smiled and took hold of Zhao Qian¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Grandma will pick another good choice for you, and introduce him to you.¡± Chapter 80 - 80 Telling Tales Discreetly ?80: Telling Tales Discreetly 80: Telling Tales Discreetly Editor: As Studios Matriarch Gu had always felt that Qiao Nian was very outstanding. Such an outstanding child would naturally attract the attention of other outstanding youths. Zhao Qian couldn¡¯tpare to Qiao Nian. Coupled with the fact that Qiao Nian had reached Li Kun first, there was nothing one could do about Li Kun taking a liking to Qiao Nian. ¡°Grandma, let¡¯s go down for dinner!¡± Zhao Qian smiled at Matriarch Gu. However, she was puzzled. Wasn¡¯t Matriarch Gu curious as to why Qiao Nian was meeting other men? ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go down for dinner!¡± Matriarch Gu was a little worried that Zhao Qian would be displeased with Qiao Nian over this matter. She consoled her, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t take this to heart. Nian Nian didn¡¯t do it on purpose. This just means that you and Li Kun weren¡¯t meant to be.¡± A trace of surprise shed in Zhao Qian¡¯s eyes. Qiao Nian had just married into the Qiao family not long ago, yet Grandma was already favoring her to such an extent. Qiao Nian had stolen her blind date from her. Not only did Grandma not me Qiao Nian, but she also consoled Zhao Qian not to be unhappy with Qiao Nian over this matter. The shadow in Zhao Qian¡¯s eyes dissipated in an instant. Smiling, she looked up at Matriarch Gu and said sweetly, ¡°Grandma, Second Sister-inw didn¡¯t do it on purpose. She was meeting up with someone else in the cafe, but she mistook Li Kun for him.¡± The smile on Matriarch Gu¡¯s face gradually faded. She frowned slightly and asked in confusion, ¡°Why did she ask someone out?¡± ¡°I-I think it¡¯s a blind date¡­¡± Zhao Qian lowered her head. Her entire manner was one of embarrassment, as if it were difficult to speak. Blind date? Matriarch Gu frowned slightly. Puzzled, she looked at Zhao Qian and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know how to say it,¡± Zhao Qian said hesitantly. She didn¡¯t understand why Matriarch Gu was questioning her now. She felt that Matriarch Gu should be questioning Qiao Nian instead. ¡°Did you drop a hint that she was on a blind date on purpose?¡± Matriarch Gu asked, enunciating every word. Zhao Qian looked at Matriarch Gu with fear and unease written all over her face. She reached out and grasped Matriarch Gu¡¯s hand. Frowning, she exined with utter sincerity, ¡°Grandma, Second Sister-inw was on a blind date. I should have told you everything, but I was afraid that there would be a misunderstanding. Perhaps that person was Second Sister-inw¡¯s patient. I can¡¯t say something so improbable!¡± Zhao Qian exined seriously, her face flushed red with worry. Matriarch Gu looked at the state Zhao Qian was in and gently patted her hand. She consoled her softly, ¡°Good child, I know what you mean. You¡¯re still too young. You have to learn to trust your Second Sister-inw.¡± A trace of coldness shed in Zhao Qian¡¯s heart, but she put on a meek facade as if she had been taught a lesson. She nodded and said, ¡°Grandma, I understand. I will always trust my Second Sister-inw!¡± Matriarch Gu nodded in satisfaction. The grandmother and granddaughter pair were about to head downstairs when Zhao Qian nced at the document on the table by ident. The document had the words ¡°Last Will and Testament¡± written on it in red. However, the names of who would inherit, as well as details regarding the division of the inheritance, were not yet written on the document. ¡°Grandma!¡± Zhao Qian¡¯s eyes instantly turned red. Looking at Matriarch Gu with teary eyes, she sobbed as she asked, ¡°Grandma, you will live a long life. Why did you write this? You¡­¡± Towards the end, Zhao Qian was already sobbing uncontrobly. Matriarch Gu looked at Zhao Qian¡¯s heartbroken expression. Previously, she had been worried that Zhao Qian would deliberately sow discord in front of her. Now she knew that the child was wholeheartedlymitted to the Gu family. ¡°I just wanted to settle my affairs in advance.¡± Matriarch Gu took out a tissue to help Zhao Qian wipe her face. ¡°Good child, don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Grandma, you can clearly live to a hundred or beyond. Qian Qian just wants to stay by your side.¡± The more Zhao Qian spoke, the more upset she felt. Tears began to stream down her face. ¡°All humans will have to n their future ahead of time.¡± Matriarch Gu ced the will into the cab and locked it up. She did not want Zhao Qian to feel upset upon seeing it. ¡°This is a good thing.¡± At this moment, there was a knock on the door. Chapter 81 - 81 A Direct Confession! ?81: A Direct Confession! 81: A Direct Confession! Editor: As Studios ¡°Grandmother?¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s voice rang from outside the room. Zhao Qian turned to the side and hurriedly wiped her tears away. Matriarch Gu smiled. She said happily, ¡°Nian Nian,e in!¡± Qiao Nian pushed the door open and entered. She froze when she saw that Zhao Qian seemed to have been in tears. Zhao Qian¡¯s smile reappeared on her face. She greeted softly, ¡°Second Sister-inw.¡± Qiao Nian smiled in return and closed the door. ¡°Miss Zhao, you¡¯re here too.¡± When Qiao Nian had got home, she had changed into a white nightdress made of real silk. Her hair was now tied up in a bun, and she no longer looked as charming as she had in public. All that was left was an almost unworldly calm. ¡°Second Sister-inw, you don¡¯t have to treat me like an outsider. Just call me Zhao Qian.¡± Zhao Qian smiled. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about what happened at the coffee shop today,¡± Qiao Nian said with a guilty expression. ¡°I was going to apologize to you specially, but since you¡¯re here with Grandma, I¡¯ll speak to both of you at the same time.¡± Qiao Nian felt that Zhao Qian would definitely tell Grandma about the incident. That was why she took the initiative toe clean. Zhao Qian was slightly stunned. She didn¡¯t expect Qiao Nian to take the initiative to speak up. She quickly shook her head and said with a smile, ¡°Second Sister-inw, I believe in you. Mr. Li and I are not meant to be together. This has nothing to do with you.¡± Qiao Nian looked at Zhao Qian in surprise. She didn¡¯t expect Zhao Qian to say this. Could it be that Grandma had scolded Zhao Qian, so Zhao Qian had no choice but to say this? ¡°Moreover, Second Sister-inw, you even deliberately maintained a distance from Mr. Li. That was already extremely considerate of you,¡± Zhao Qian said with a smile. Qiao Nian had initially thought that Zhao Qian was arrogant and despotic, but now it seemed that she was actually quite an understanding person. Since Zhao Qian was being so magnanimous, Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t afford to be petty. She said, ¡°This was my fault from the beginning. Thank you for understanding.¡± After thanking Zhao Qian, Qiao Nian looked at Matriarch Gu and said, ¡°Grandma, I went on a blind date today.¡± Zhao Qian froze. Slightly stunned, she looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief. She hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to be so straightforward. Matriarch Gu gave a start. Her eyes turned slightly red. Although she trusted Qiao Nian, her words made her realize something. Qiao Nian did not fancy that unfilial grandson of hers, Gu Zhou! This wouldn¡¯t do! She couldn¡¯t let such a good granddaughter-inw get snatched away! Matriarch Gu shook her head. Clutching her chest, she hurriedly said, ¡°Nian Nian, if you think that Gu Zhou¡­¡± ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s like this.¡± Worried that Matriarch Gu would fly into a panic, Qiao Nian exined softly, ¡°My best friend was forced to go on a blind date by her family. This man is about ten years older than her. She was worried that the man would humiliate her, so she asked me to go on the blind date in her stead, and reject that man.¡± After that, Qiao Nian exined how she had mistaken Li Kun for the man she had been supposed to meet. When Matriarch Gu heard this, she heaved a sigh of relief. Satisfied, she hurriedly pulled Qiao Nian to the sofa and made her sit down. ¡°Child, it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t tell me about such a small matter.¡± ¡°Because the blind date was with someone from the Li family, I was afraid that some nonsensical rumors would reach Grandma¡¯s ears, so I came to exin.¡± As Qiao Nian spoke, she nced at Zhao Qian for a fraction of a second, from the corner of her eye. Zhao Qian was slightly taken aback. She had indeed wanted to tell tales, but she had held back when she spoke. At Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Matriarch Gu nced at Zhao Qian and shook her head. ¡°If you didn¡¯t tell me about this, I wouldn¡¯t have known.¡± Qiao Nian looked at Zhao Qian in surprise. Didn¡¯t Zhao Qian mention this? Then why was Zhao Qian crying? Zhao Qian nodded and said, ¡°Second Sister-inw, don¡¯t worry. I was present at the scene. I can prove your innocence. From now on, no one shall mention this again.¡± Qiao Nian smiled. ¡°Grandma, Auntie Zhang has already prepared breakfast. Let¡¯s go down for dinner!¡± ¡°Alright, you can leave first. I¡¯ll leave in a while.¡± Matriarch Gu looked at Qiao Nian with satisfaction. Qiao Nian was indeed the granddaughter-inw she had painstakingly selected. ¡°Zhao Qian, what do you think of your Second Sister-inw?¡± Matriarch Gu asked with a smile. ¡°Second Sister-inw is sincere and upright. I think she¡¯s a very good person!¡± Zhao Qian said, following Matriarch Gu¡¯s intentions. Matriarch Gu¡¯s smile became even brighter. She nodded in approval. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Chapter 82 - 82 How Was The Blind Date ?82: How Was The Blind Date? 82: How Was The Blind Date? Editor: As Studios Matriarch Gu took out the will again and wrote Qiao Nian¡¯s name down in the space reserved for the heir of her inheritance. Zhao Qian lowered her gaze, hiding the disappointment in her eyes. Very quickly, she put on a bright smile. Matriarch Gu carefully ced her thumbprint on the will before putting the document back in the cab. Seeing that Zhao Qian was still smiling, Matriarch Gu knew that Zhao Qian was alright with her decision, and was even more satisfied with her. ¡°Qian Qian.¡± Holding onto Zhao Qian¡¯s hand, Matriarch Gu said gently, ¡°Nian Nian is a sensible girl. She will have to act as a pir for the entire Gu family in the future. I believe that she will definitely take good care of everyone in the Gu family. She won¡¯t mistreat you.¡± Before Zhao Qian could speak, Matriarch Gu continued, ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared your dowry since you were a child. Don¡¯t worry, Grandma won¡¯t let you down either.¡± Zhao Qian¡¯s eyes turned red. She shook her head vigorously and said in a choked voice, ¡°Grandma, I hope that you can live to a hundred years old. I want to stay by your side for the rest of my life. I don¡¯t mind having no assets at all. I also believe that Second Sister-inw can take good care of the entire Gu family!¡± Matriarch Gu knew that Zhao Qian was speaking from her heart. This child had only known one thing since she was young¡ªhow to be filial. She knew very little of anything else. While she was still alive, she had to help Zhao Qian find a good husband. Qiao Nian heard only Zhao Qian¡¯sments about her, and heard nothing after that. She walked directly downstairs. After taking a few steps, she saw Gu Zhou walking out of his room. He stood in the corridor, his face pale. ¡°I was just looking for you.¡± Qiao Nian quickly walked towards Gu Zhou and said, ¡°Wait a little while.¡± As she spoke, Qiao Nian entered her room and took out a medicine bottle. Just as she was about to pass it to Gu Zhou, she heard Gu Zhou speak. ¡°How did your blind date go?¡± Qiao Nian froze for a second. She knew it. She had been wondering how Chen Qing had known that she was at the cafe today when she had left the house alone. So Gu Zhou had arranged for someone to keep an eye on her. Look, now he was here to interrogate her for her crimes. Qiao Nian ced her hands behind her back and looked up. A lovely smile appeared on her face. ¡°Master Gu, are you not confident? Tell me, how many men in this world canpare to you?¡± The greeting of ¡°Master Gu¡± left Gu Zhou stunned for a moment. His brow, which had been deeply furrowed, gradually rxed. He leaned against the door and looked at the woman¡¯s little face, which was tilted yfully in his direction. He felt extremely pleased. ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± Gu Zhou looked down at Qiao Nian. His gaze fell on her cherry-red lips. Somehow, he couldn¡¯t move his eyes away. ¡°Here¡¯s your medicine.¡± Qiao Nian shook the bottle, allowing one pill to fall into her palm, and brought the pill to Gu Zhou¡¯s lips. ¡°Here, try it.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s tone was as if she had prepared an amazing meal for Gu Zhou to try. However, when Gu Zhou looked at the mud-like round pill in Qiao Nian¡¯s hand, he could only frown. ¡°Is this edible?¡± Seeing that Gu Zhou clearly didn¡¯t think much of the pill, Qiao Nian exined patiently, ¡°Although it looks ugly, it¡¯s very effective. It¡¯s good for your health.¡± After Qiao Nian spoke, she saw that Gu Zhou had opened his mouth and was about to speak. Without hesitation, she stuffed the pill into his mouth. Gu Zhou¡¯s entire heart was against eating it, but as soon as the pill entered his mouth, he tasted the faint aroma of strawberry. It was not as bad as he had imagined. Qiao Nian had adjusted the form for this Miracle All-Healing Pill many times in the past. Worried that Gu Zhou wouldn¡¯t be used to the smell, she even added strawberry vor to the recipe. ¡°How is it?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou in anticipation. She was a little worried that Gu Zhou would dislike the taste. ¡°It¡¯s not bad,¡± Gu Zhou said calmly, his expression indifferent. Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou intently. Seeing that he didn¡¯t seem to dislike it, she smiled and stuffed the medicine bottle into Gu Zhou¡¯s hand. ¡°One pill each before lunch and dinner.¡± Gu Zhou looked dazedly at the blue and white porcin bottle in his hand. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go eat!¡± Qiao Nian smiled at Gu Zhou. Seeing that he was hesitating to speak, she asked in confusion, ¡°Is there anything else you wanted to speak to me about?¡± ¡°How long have you been the principal of An University?¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s voice was cool and pleasant to the ear, as always. Chapter 83 - 83 I Want Your Signature ?83: I Want Your Signature 83: I Want Your Signature Editor: As Studios ¡°Huh?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou in confusion. Was Gu Zhou actually showing an interest in her? This was truly a rare urrence. Qiao Nian thought silently to herself. ¡°For how long?¡± Gu Zhou asked again. ¡°About¡­ ten years!¡± Qiao Nian said after some thought. Although Gu Zhou knew that Qiao Nian wasn¡¯t as simple as she seemed, he was still a little surprised by her reply. ¡°In that case, when do you n to award me my doctoral certificate?¡± Qiao Nian was speechless. Gu Zhou was a head taller than Qiao Nian. Now, standing in front of her, he had to lower his gaze to meet her eyes. His phoenix-like eyes narrowed as he asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember, Principal?¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s voice was as cold as ever, but there was a hint of danger in it. Qiao Nian seemed to remember Wang An mentioning this matter before. He said that someone hadpleted their postdoc PhD overseas, and the university needed to issue a certificate. At that time, she was overjoyed. This was the first postdoc student who had graduated after she had taken over An University. Back then, she had practiced her signature countless times, just so she could help the student sign their certificate herself. However, she had never expected that the student would be Gu Zhou. Back then, she had been locked up in the mental hospital, and she had lost contact with the outside world. ¡°Principal, are you nning to make me repeat my studies at the university?¡± Gu Zhou raised his eyebrow and looked at Qiao Nian coldly, his gaze carrying a hint of a threat. ¡°No, no.¡± Qiao Nian quickly waved her hand and said seriously, ¡°I¡¯ll get Vice-Principal Wang to sign the certificate and send it over.¡± After Qiao Nian spoke, she saw that Gu Zhou¡¯s expression had cleared. She heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°No.¡± That simple word from Gu Zhou made Qiao Nian¡¯s heart jump to her throat in fear. Puzzled, she looked toward Gu Zhou. ¡°I want your signature!¡± Gu Zhou said calmly, as if this matter had nothing to do with him. Qiao Nian heaved a sigh of relief. She had thought that Gu Zhou was going to make some outrageous request. So this was it. ¡°Sure.¡± Gu Zhou followed Qiao Nian out of the room. Holding the medicine bottle tightly in his hand, he said casually, ¡°This tastes good.¡± Qiao Nian was slightly stunned. She had always thought that Gu Zhou was cold and didn¡¯t like to joke around. She hadn¡¯t expected him to say anything like that. Was Gu Zhou joking with her? Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou¡¯s retreating back. For some reason, she felt that he wasn¡¯t too bad a person. The family ate dinner together happily. After the meal, Qiao Nian made another trip to the medicinal room. Qiao Nian was preparing some medicine when she heard someone knock on the door. She said casually, ¡°Come in!¡± Zhao Qian pushed the door open and smiled at Qiao Nian. ¡°Second Sister-inw, I¡¯m here for some candied plums.¡± Qiao Nian smiled back. After greeting Zhao Qian, she said, ¡°The candied plums are in the white porcin bottle in the upper right corner.¡± Zhao Qian retrieved a jar of candied plums, then walked over to Qiao Nian. Seeing that Qiao Nian was preparing medicine, she smiled and asked, ¡°Second Sister-inw, who are you preparing medicine for?¡± ¡°This is for Grandma.¡± Qiao Nian had already discovered that Matriarch Gu¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t very well, so she thought of making some medicine for Matriarch Gu to help with her heart disease. ¡°These can help to suppress Grandma¡¯s heart problems.¡± The smile on Zhao Qian¡¯s face faded as she looked at Qiao Nian in confusion. Puzzled, she asked, ¡°Se-Second Sister-inw, these herbs are for treating colds. Is there anything notable about these ingredients?¡± When Qiao Nian heard Zhao Qian¡¯s question, she turned to look at her. Smiling, she asked, ¡°Are you familiar with these medicinal herbs?¡± ¡°I studied clinical medicine for both Western and Chinese schools. I¡¯m only familiar with a few medicinal herbs,¡± Zhao Qian said, her expression sincere. Grandma had given Qiao Nian all of her inheritance, so it was better for Zhao Qian to know her ce in the future. Qiao Nian looked toward Zhao Qian. She had thought that Zhao Qian was here to pick a fight, but seeing how sincere and eager to learn Zhao Qian looked, she realized that she had been over-thinking. ¡°These ingredients are indeed used to treat cold injuries, but the proportion of ingredients I¡¯ve used is different. The resulting medicine will be different as well. These pills may be able to treat more illnesses beyond colds,¡± Qiao Nian exined patiently with a smile. Zhao Qian nodded thoughtfully. Chapter 84 - 84 Take Off My Trousers ?84: Take Off My Trousers? 84: Take Off My Trousers? Editor: As Studios ¡°Second Sister-inw, you¡¯re really amazing. If there¡¯s anything I don¡¯t understand in the future, I¡¯ll consult you again.¡± Zhao Qian looked at Qiao Nian admiringly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stand on ceremony.¡± Qiao Nian felt a little ufortable under Zhao Qian¡¯s gaze. Smiling, she lowered her head and continued to apply the medicine. ¡°Second Sister-inw, go ahead. I¡¯ll take the candied plums to Grandma.¡± Zhao Qian smiled at Qiao Nian. ¡°Okay.¡± After Zhao Qian left, Qiao Nian put all the ingredients into the drawer. She nced at the pot of medicinal herbs next to her. The medicine in it was almost done brewing. She stuffed all the ingredients into a medicine packet, then carried the pot to Gu Zhou¡¯s room. Gu Zhou was about to rest when he smelled the scent of Chinese medicine. He frowned and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°A medicinal bath!¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou with a smile. He was wearing a white shirt and well-tailored trousers, entuating his tall figure. Although Qiao Nian was a person with a pure heart and a chaste mind, when she saw Gu Zhou like this, she couldn¡¯t help but take another look. ¡°Medicinal bath?¡± Gu Zhou frowned, his eyes filled with disdain as he looked at the medicine pot. ¡°Yes, this can alleviate your illness and heighten your metabolism. It¡¯s good for your health.¡± Qiao Nian pointed to the bathroom and asked with a smile, ¡°Shall I fill the tub for you?¡± Seeing that Gu Zhou didn¡¯t object, Qiao Nian turned around and entered the bathroom. There was a bathtub in the bathroom. Qiao Nian began to fill the tub with water, then took out the packet of medicine from the medicine pot. Soon, Qiao Nian had gotten everything ready. Seeing that Gu Zhou had yet to enter, she walked towards the door and saw Gu Zhou sitting on the sofa, looking at his phone. ¡°Why haven¡¯t youe in? I was waiting for you!¡± Qiao Nian smiled at Gu Zhou. Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze moved away from the phone screen andnded on Qiao Nian¡¯s face, confusion written all over his face. ¡°Hurry up and take off your clothes. Come in! Take a bath!¡± Qiao Nian urged. Gu Zhou could faintly smell the scent emanating from the bathroom. His brow furrowed deeper and deeper as he said in a displeased voice, ¡°Ask one of the servants to remove it. The smell is too strong!¡± ¡°No.¡± Qiao Nian refused Gu Zhou¡¯s suggestion without hesitation. ¡°These medicinal ingredients are very expensive, and I¡¯ve brewed it specially for you. We mustn¡¯t waste it!¡± With that, Qiao Nian walked towards Gu Zhou and reached out to grab his hand. ¡°Quickly!¡± Sitting on the sofa, Gu Zhou looked up at Qiao Nian, his gaze fixed on her, his eyes clear and deep. Qiao Nian was worried that the temperature of the bath would drop, which would affect its medicinal properties. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t drag Gu Zhou to the bathroom, she gave up and began unbuttoning Gu Zhou¡¯s shirt without hesitation. In no time, she had removed Gu Zhou¡¯s shirt. Gu Zhou¡¯s skin was very fair, perhaps because he had been ill for a long time and had not spent much time under the sun. However, his figure was exquisite. Beneath his Adam¡¯s apple was a pair of well-defined corbones. The lines defining his chest were perfect and smooth. Further down was his Adonis belt¡­ Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t help but swallow. ¡°Doctor Qiao?¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s voice was low and pleasant to the ear. His voice rose slightly as he looked at her with interest. Qiao Nian came back to her senses. She coughed awkwardly and quickly stood to the side, remaining quiet. She was a doctor. In the eyes of a doctor, all patients had to be the same, regardless of gender. She couldn¡¯t allow herself to be infatuated with Gu Zhou¡¯s good looks and figure. Qiao Nian lowered her head and looked away, thinking that she couldn¡¯t look at Gu Zhou anymore. ¡°Doctor Qiao, aren¡¯t you going to help me take off my trousers?¡± Gu Zhou raised his eyebrows slightly and teased. Qiao Nian walked towards the bathroom. When she reached the door, she saw that Gu Zhou had not yet arrived. She hurriedly urged, ¡°Come in quickly, don¡¯t waste time!¡± Although she looked calm on the surface, she was actually very anxious. She didn¡¯t want Gu Zhou to think that she was a hooligan or a pervert. Otherwise, the reputation she had worked so hard to build would be ruined. Seeing that Gu Zhou had not moved, Qiao Nian looked up. Chapter 85 - 85 Acupuncture ?85: Acupuncture 85: Acupuncture Editor: As Studios Gu Zhou was staring at her. When he saw her looking over, his hand moved to rest on his belt buckle. His beautiful eyes were filled withughter. ¡°Crack!¡± The sound of his belt being unbuckled. Gu Zhou pulled down the zipper of his trousers in a leisurely manner. Seeing Qiao Nian¡¯s face turn red, he took his time removing his trousers. ¡°You don¡¯t have to take all your clothes off!¡± Turning away, Qiao Nian walked into the bathroom. Qiao Nian stood in the shower, holding a silver needle in her hand. Gu Zhou walked over, his pace unhurried. The lower half of his body was wrapped in a towel. Gu Zhou stepped into the bathtub and sat down calmly, his brow furrowed. The bathroom was filled with steam. A heavy fog encircled the two upants. At this moment, Gu Zhou, who was sitting in the bathtub, looked practically edible. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a packet for the medicinal herbs. You don¡¯t have to worry about the medicinal dregs getting on your body,¡± Qiao Nian said. She was just about to begin the acupuncture procedure when the door to the bathroom was pushed open. Zhao Qian had thought that Gu Zhou was in the study, not the bathroom. Hence, she nned to send over the towels that the servants had washed. The moment she entered the bathroom, she saw Gu Zhou sitting in the bathtub with Qiao Nian standing next to it. Zhao Qian¡¯s face instantly flushed red. Hugging the towels to herself, she quickly turned around. ¡°Get out!¡± Gu Zhou red at Zhao Qian coldly. Zhao Qian¡¯s face was bright red. Her hands, which were wrapped around the towels, tightened their hold involuntarily. Blinking her eyes in confusion, she said, ¡°B-Brother, I¡¯m sorry. I-I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you and Second Sister-inw!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Zhao Qian pursed her lips, her voice trembling as she spoke.¡± I¡­ I just wanted to help the servants bring the towels over. I thought you were in the study! ¡± ¡°Close the door. I don¡¯t like to be disturbed.¡± Gu Zhou looked at Zhao Qian coldly, his eyes dark. In a panic, Zhao Qian walked towards the door and left, closing it behind her. It was only after Zhao Qian left that the realization struck her. Second Brother had truly fallen for Qiao Nian! Meanwhile, Qiao Nian didn¡¯t think too much about it. Reaching into the bathtub, she inadvertently touched Gu Zhou¡¯s arm. Instantly, she thought of the perfect lines defining his arm and hurriedly retracted her hand. Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes opened wide. He stared at Qiao Nian. Their eyes met. A thick mist settled over them. Qiao Nian was acutely aware that Gu Zhou¡¯s expression was turning darker and darker. His beautiful phoenix-like eyes were narrowed and the temperature in the bathroom had dropped. She immediately said, ¡°Medicinal baths require acupuncture. I¡¯m your doctor. I¡¯m not trying to take advantage of you.¡± ¡°So Mrs. Gu really doesn¡¯t like me. Looks like she ns to continue going on blind dates.¡± Gu Zhou spoke, his voice just a little hoarse. Was Gu Zhou joking again? But wasn¡¯t this matter over? He had just called her Doctor Qiao, and now he was calling her Mrs. Gu. In the next moment, would he tease her and call her darling again? ¡°I went to that blind date to help a friend out. How many men in this world canpare to Master Gu?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou with a smile. Seeing that Gu Zhou remained silent, she teased, ¡°Is Master Gu shy?¡± Gu Zhou red at Qiao Nian coldly. His entire body was radiating a frigid aura. He didn¡¯t look shy at all, but more like he didn¡¯t want anyone to touch him. Qiao Nian suddenly recalled that Gu Zhou had a phobia of women. Was he despising her for being a woman? If she was a man, wouldn¡¯t it be two men in the bathroom instead¡­ ¡°I¡¯m a doctor and you¡¯re my patient. It¡¯s normal for us to touch. You don¡¯t have to think too much about it. If you really can¡¯t take it, why don¡¯t you imagine me as a man?¡± Qiao Nian said,pletely serious. Gu Zhou¡¯s expression grew even darker. Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou, not understanding why he was angry again. ¡°Thank you for your trouble,¡± Gu Zhou said indifferently. Qiao Nian heaved a sigh of relief. She took out a silver needle and began to perform acupuncture on Gu Zhou. When she inserted the first needle, she could clearly feel Gu Zhou¡¯s body move in response. She saidfortingly, ¡°The acupuncture should still hurt a little. Don¡¯t resist it. You¡¯ll recover soon.¡± Chapter 86 - 86 Doubts ?86: Doubts 86: Doubts Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian then inserted nine more needles into Gu Zhou¡¯s body. After fifteen minutes, she removed the needles. She ced the needles back to the side and was about to give Gu Zhou a massage when she seemed to recall something. She asked, ¡°Um, can I help you massage your acupuncture points? Only then will your body recover faster.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Gu Zhou answeredzily. Gu Zhou¡¯s voice was soft and sultry. Listening to him speak, Qiao Nian had the illusion that she was going to get pregnant. Could it be that this person¡¯s voice had changed after soaking in the medicinal bath for too long? She was not used to Gu Zhou being so obedient. Qiao Nian reached out and began giving Gu Zhou a massage. Gu Zhou sat in the bathtub with his eyes closed. He could clearly feel the strength in her soft fingers. At times, she was gentle, but at other times, she was forceful. Her hands moved slowly along his back. This kind of massage felt a little different from how doctors usually massaged him. There were also some changes in his body that he had never felt before. He slowly opened his eyes, his gazending on the mist-resistant mirror not far away. Under the light, her skin seemed to have turned snow-white while her cheeks were flushed pink. Her lips were red, like a cherry. Gu Zhou¡¯s breath hitched. He swallowed. For some reason, he suddenly recalled that night five years ago. That girl¡¯s hands had been as soft andforting as Qiao Nian¡¯s. Her head had been buried in his chest and there was a faint fragranceing from her. Gu Zhou¡¯s heart was beating extremely fast. He was a little confused now. Was the girl from that night five years ago really Wang Lin? Gu Zhou took a deep breath and closed his eyes again, submitting himself to Qiao Nian¡¯s massage. Qiao Nian was wholly focused on the massage. After the massage, she stood up and walked to the basin to wash her hands, saying, ¡°Alright, you cane out now. After an hour, you can take a shower.¡± Gu Zhou opened his eyes and his gaze fell on Qiao Nian. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°If you feel weak all over, that¡¯s normal. You¡¯ll recover tomorrow,¡± Qiao Nian exined patiently. With that, Qiao Nian packed up the silver needles and walked out. When she reached the door, she seemed to have thought of something and turned back to look at Gu Zhou. ¡°You should have a medicinal bath every other day. Let¡¯s try for a month, then we¡¯ll see if it¡¯s suitable for you.¡± It was only after Qiao Nian spoke that she noticed the coldness in Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes. She frowned slightly. Did he really dislike women touching him to such a great extent? ¡°Okay,¡± Gu Zhou agreed. Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou in confusion. Wasn¡¯t he angry because of the medicinal bath? Was he angry because of something else? ¡°You have to take care of your health these few days. Your emotions can¡¯t fluctuate too much¡­¡± Before Qiao Nian could finish speaking, Gu Zhou cut her off. ¡°Get out!¡± This was infuriating. She was determined to make him soak longer in the bath next time. From then on, she would insist on making him do whatever he found disgusting under the guise of treating his illness, just to cure him of that annoying habit! Qiao Nian was about to leave when she seemed to have thought of something. She said, ¡°A whileter, remember to rinse your body clean with water.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Qiao Nian returned to her room to rest. She still had to get up early tomorrow morning to prepare medicine for Matriarch Gu. She was still Gu Zhou¡¯s wife, and it was her duty and responsibility to take care of Matriarch Gu. At this moment, in the study. After Gu Zhou rinsed himself with clean water, he could still smell the medicinal fragrance on him. Holding a piece of rabbit meat in his chopsticks, he ced it by his pet snake Lan¡¯s mouth. Lan looked at him and flicked out its tongue, swallowing the rabbit meat in one bite obediently. Its manner was adorable. Looking at Lan, Gu Zhou recalled the first time Qiao Nian had seen Lan. She had managed to subdue Lan in just one move. Not only that, Lan had especially liked Qiao Nian. It was because of this that Gu Zhou had begun to have doubts about Qiao Nian. At this moment, Chen Qing walked in. ¡°Master Gu.¡± When Lan saw Chen Qing, it instantly went on high alert. It red at Chen Qing with a threatening expression, as if it would tear his neck in half in the next moment. Chapter 87 - 87 Bringing Medicine ?87: Bringing Medicine 87: Bringing Medicine Editor: As Studios ¡°About Wang Lin¡¯s rtives.¡± Gu Zhou summoned Lan to his side. Lan instantly wound itself around his wrist obediently. ¡°How are they now?¡± Gu Zhou sat on the sofa casually, his hand brushing over Lan¡¯s head every now and then. Chen Qing had not expected Gu Zhou to ask this. Back then, when he had found Wang Lin, Second Young Master Gu had never believed that Wang Lin was the girl from five years ago because the jade pendant wasn¡¯t in her possession. Moreover, Master Gu had always believed that the girl from back then had not died. Hence, he merely gave Wang Lin¡¯s family some benefits, so that the Wang family would not have to worry about money for the rest of their lives. ¡°The Wang family is living infort. However, they have a small request,¡± Chen Qing said hesitantly. Upon hearing Chen Qing¡¯s words, Gu Zhou looked up at him. He said, ¡°Wang Lin¡¯s younger sister, Wang Miao, has just graduated from university with a degree in management. She would like to find a better job. Is that it?¡± Gu Zhou fed Lan another piece of rabbit meat and asked Chen Qing, ¡°Do you have any suggestions?¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± Chen Qing hesitated for a moment, then said, ¡°One of our housekeepers here at the vi has just resigned. A position has just opened up.¡± The meaning behind Chen Qing¡¯s words was as clear as day. ¡°Okay,¡± Gu Zhou said impassively. ¡°You may leave.¡± Chen Qing understood Gu Zhou well, so he nodded in agreement. He turned around and prepared to leave. ¡°And¡­¡± Chen Qing stopped. He turned back, looking up at Gu Zhou. ¡°Ask her to keep her mouth shut. She¡¯s not to mention what happened back then ever again,¡± Gu Zhou said coldly. Chen Qing naturally understood what Gu Zhou meant. If the Wang family knew their ce and did not cross the line, Master Gu would still take care of the Wang family. However, if they were greedy and asked for more, Master Gu would no longer care about Wang Lin. The next morning. Qiao Nian checked all the medicinal herbs before putting them into the medicine jar, preparing to brew the medicine. After a busy morning, Qiao Nian finally managed to turn these herbs into medicinal pills. She called for the servant and brought the medicine to Matriarch Gu¡¯s room. At this moment, Matriarch Gu was painting. Zhao Qian was grinding pigments at the side. ¡°Second Sister-inw.¡± When Zhao Qian saw Qiao Nian, she smiled and greeted her. Qiao Nian greeted Zhao Qian, then looked toward Matriarch Gu and greeted, ¡°Grandma.¡± ¡°What did you bring?¡± When Matriarch Gu smelled the medicinal fragrance, her eyes lit up. ¡°Is this medicine for Ah Zhou?¡± ¡°This is medicine I¡¯ve prepared for Grandma¡¯s heart disease.¡± Qiao Nian smiled at Matriarch Gu and exined, ¡°I saw that Grandma didn¡¯t look well, and I felt your pulse as well. I¡¯ve made this medicine specially for you.¡± At this moment, Jiang Yue, who had just walked in, heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words. She lowered her gaze, hiding the strange look in her eyes. Yesterday afternoon, she happened to hear Qiao Nian and Zhao Qian mention that they wanted to make some medicine for Matriarch Gu.j ¡°Oh, my darling child.¡± Matriarch Gu hurriedly beckoned Qiao Nian to her side and said gently, ¡°Child, you didn¡¯t evene out for lunch. You¡¯ve been so busy with this. You must be tired. In the future, just get the servants to handle such trivial matters.¡± Matriarch Gu pulled Qiao Nian to sit down with her. Qiao Nian smiled and hurriedly grabbed hold of Matriarch Gu¡¯s hand. She called the servant over. ¡°Grandma, try one first.¡± Qiao Nian took out one pill and handed it to Matriarch Gu. Matriarch Gu¡¯s eyes lit up when she smelled the unique medicinal fragrance. She took the pill and put it into her mouth. The pill tasted a little of Chinese medicinal herbs, but that bitterness was tempered by the vor of sweet butter-cream. The vor was just right too, and wasn¡¯t so rich that one would easily get sick of it. ¡°Second Sister-inw, this smells so good.¡± Smiling brightly, Zhao Qian praised Qiao Nian. ¡°Those who don¡¯t know better might think that this is candy!¡± When Matriarch Gu heard Zhao Qian¡¯s words, she nodded in agreement. She was so touched that her eyes grew red-rimmed. ¡°My darling child, you¡¯re truly wonderful. It¡¯s Ah Zhou¡¯s fortune to be able to marry you.¡± Chapter 88 - 88 Vomiting Blood ?88: Vomiting Blood 88: Vomiting Blood Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian smiled and said shyly, ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re embarrassing me with yourpliments. It was a piece of cake for me to make these. Do you like this vor? If not, I can make you something else.¡± The smile on Matriarch Gu¡¯s face grew even brighter. With Qiao Nian around, she would not have to worry much about the Gu family any longer. ¡°My darling girl, this tastes quite good. I like it,¡± Matriarch Gu said happily. The more she looked at Qiao Nian, the more she liked her. ¡°You can only take three pills a day at most. Only take one when you¡¯re feeling unwell. After all, medicine can be harmful if not taken in moderation,¡± Qiao Nian instructed carefully. Seeing Qiao Nian being so gentle and considerate, Matriarch Gu¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. Her darling granddaughter was such a good child. With her darling granddaughter by Gu Zhou¡¯s side in the future, she no longer had to worry about anything. Carrying a tray of teacups, Jiang Yue walked up to Matriarch Gu. Matriarch Gu smiled and picked up a cup from the tray, taking a sip. Then, she smiled at Qiao Nian and said, ¡°My darling child, Grandma, is getting old. This is all I can do for my health. I don¡¯t expect to live for that much longer; after all, it¡¯s natural for one¡¯s health to fail at my age. I¡¯ve already written my will. Ahem¡­¡± Towards the end, Matriarch Gu began to cough uncontrobly. Jiang Yue hurriedly patted Matriarch Gu¡¯s back and asked worriedly, ¡°Grandma, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Seeing Matriarch Gu like this, Zhao Qian hurriedly stepped forward and said anxiously, ¡°Grandma, you¡­¡± Before Zhao Qian could finish her sentence, Matriarch Gu spat out a mouthful of blood. Jiang Yue tried hard to hide her joy. She red at Qiao Nian and questioned, ¡°Qiao Nian, what exactly did you give Grandma?¡± Immediately, everyone turned to look at Qiao Nian. Upon hearing Jiang Yue¡¯s words, Zhao Qian frowned. ¡°Sister Jiang, don¡¯t spout nonsense. Second Sister-inw would never do such a thing.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Jiang Yue was usually in charge of everything in the Gu family, and Matriarch Gu had not hidden the fact that she had written her will from her, nor the fact that Qiao Nian would inherit everything. Jiang Yue hadn¡¯t wanted to do anything to Matriarch Gu, but she could no longer hold back when she thought about how she had grown up in the Gu family, but Matriarch Gu hadn¡¯t even left her a cent. ¡°I have absolute trust in Second Sister-inw,¡± Zhao Qian said seriously. She had seen Second Sister-inw concocting the medicine yesterday with her own eyes. Even if the medicine couldn¡¯t treat Grandma¡¯s illness, it wouldn¡¯t make her vomit blood. ¡°Someone, go get a doctor.¡± Zhao Qian was the daughter of Matriarch Gu¡¯s older brother, so she was deeply loved by Matriarch Gu. As for Jiang Yue, she was just a girl Matriarch Gu had adopted. The servants were naturally more willing to listen to Zhao Qian. At this moment, the butler arrived as well. His expression changed and he asked in a low voice, ¡°What¡¯s happened to Matriarch Gu?¡± Just as Zhao Qian was about to speak, Jiang Yue spoke up first. ¡°Butler, Grandma only became like this after taking the medicine Qiao Nian made for her.¡± ¡°How is this possible?¡± The butler eximed. He nced at Qiao Nian, who was standing at the side. Seeing Qiao Nian¡¯s impassive expression, the butler calmed down a little as well. ¡°Second Young Madam, Matriarch Gu¡­¡± Before Qiao Nian could speak, Jiang Yue spoke, her eyes red-rimmed. ¡°Qiao Nian, what exactly did you do to Grandma? You need to give us an exnation right now!¡± At that moment, Qiao Nian was checking Matriarch Gu¡¯s pulse and didn¡¯t notice what Jiang Yue was saying at all. Jiang Yue snatched Qiao Nian¡¯s hand away and said in a rage, ¡°Don¡¯t touch Grandma!¡± Seeing how fierce Jiang Yue was acting, Zhao Qian hurriedly stepped forward and said, ¡°Sister Jiang, what are you doing? Second Sister-inw is treating Grandma¡¯s illness. Stop fooling around!¡± ¡°How am I fooling around?¡± Jiang Yue turned to re at Zhao Qian and said furiously, ¡°She doesn¡¯t know how to treat illnesses at all. She¡¯s lying to us.¡± Zhao Qian looked at Jiang Yue helplessly and said, ¡°Sister Jiang, can you stop spouting nonsense? Second Sister-inw is skilled in medicine. Let Second Sister-inw treat Grandma first. We¡¯ll discuss the restter!¡± Chapter 89 - 89 Wasnt She Poisoned ?89: Wasn¡¯t She Poisoned? 89: Wasn¡¯t She Poisoned? Editor: As Studios With a cold expression, Jiang Yue frowned at Qiao Nian and said, ¡°Second Sister-inw, you¡¯re directly involved in this matter. I¡¯m afraid it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for you to take Grandma¡¯s pulse. After all, you might be biased.¡± The butler¡¯s face turned pale. His brow furrowed deeper and deeper. Second Young Master had left the house on an errand. Without Second Young Master around, he did not know what to do regarding this matter. Jiang Yue pushed Qiao Nian aside and reached out to touch Matriarch Gu¡¯s forehead. She said anxiously, ¡°Grandma¡¯s forehead is so hot. She¡¯s having a fever. If it continues, what will we do?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Jiang Yue impassively, a slight frown on her face. ¡°Miss Jiang, what are you doing?¡± Jiang Yue looked at Qiao Nian in confusion. Puzzled, she asked, ¡°Second Sister-inw, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°You know very well what you¡¯ve done.¡± Qiao Nian stood calmly to the side. At this moment, Doctor Su arrived. He was a private doctor of the Gu family, and also Matriarch Gu¡¯s attending physician. Jiang Yue quickly stood to the side and gave Doctor Su some space. Pretending to be worried, she said, ¡°Doctor Su, please help to take a look at Grandma. What¡¯s happened to Grandma?¡± Zhao Qian had wanted to ask Doctor Su as well, but since Jiang Yue had spoken, she stood silently to the side. She studied medicine. Actually, she also had the ability to treat and diagnose Matriarch Gu, but her mind was in a mess right now and she could not get in the right frame of mind to treat her grandmother¡¯s illness. Doctor Su examined Matriarch Gu¡¯s body carefully. After a while, he frowned and said, ¡°Matriarch Gu has caught a cold. She¡¯s quite physically weak, which is why she vomited blood and has a high fever.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t she poisoned?¡± Jiang Yue blurted out. When Qiao Nian and Zhao Qian heard Jiang Yue¡¯s words, they both frowned. ¡°She¡¯s not poisoned,¡± Doctor Su said seriously. Jiang Yue¡¯s face turned bright red. She turned to look at Qiao Nian and said awkwardly, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Second Sister-inw. I-I misunderstood you.¡± Zhao Qian frowned as she looked at Jiang Yue. Grandma had also told Jiang Yue about the will. She felt that Jiang Yue¡¯s actions today were very suspicious. The butler, who was standing at the side, heaved a sigh of relief. If Second Young Madam was really the culprit, then they would be in big trouble. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll prescribe some medicine to treat her cold. She¡¯ll be fine after taking it,¡± Doctor Su said. Then, he began to write down the prescription. ¡°Can I take a look at the prescription?¡± Qiao Nian walked up to Doctor Su and asked. ¡°Sure.¡± Doctor Su handed the prescription to Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian took a closer look and saw that the ingredients prescribed would note into conflict with her prescription. She was about to pass it to the butler when she suddenly froze. ¡°Doctor Su, does Grandma have asthma?¡± Qiao Nian looked up at Doctor Su. Doctor Su nodded and said, ¡°Yes. Her asthma isn¡¯t serious. She just needs to take note of it.¡± Qiao Nian felt a lingering fear. Fortunately, the medicine she had prescribed for Grandma could also be taken by patients with asthma. She handed the prescription to the butler. ¡°Butler, call Second Young Master and ask him to return immediately.¡± Qiao Nian had a feeling that things weren¡¯t as simple as they seemed. Why would Jiang Yue frame her? ¡°Alright,¡± the butler answered before leaving. Qiao Nian frowned. Her eyelid wouldn¡¯t stop twitching. For some reason, she felt her heart beating faster and faster. She had a vague notion that something very bad was happening. She looked up at Jiang Yue, who was staring unblinkingly at Matriarch Gu. Her expression was nk. She turned to look at Matriarch Gu. Her gaze finallynded on the blood at Matriarch Gu¡¯s mouth. She found the sight frightening. Half an hourter, the butler returned with the medicine. Qiao Nian was about to pick up the medicine when she was pushed aside by Jiang Yue. Zhao Qian hurriedly steadied Qiao Nian and looked at her worriedly. ¡°Second Sister-inw, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you.¡± Qiao Nian thanked her casually, her gaze fixed on Matriarch Gu. Chapter 90 - 90 Let Me Feed Her The Medicine ?90: Let Me Feed Her The Medicine 90: Let Me Feed Her The Medicine Editor: As Studios Seeing that Qiao Nian looked alright, Zhao Qian looked toward Jiang Yue, who was about to feed Matriarch Gu some medicine. She frowned. Holding the bowl of medicine, Jiang Yue walked to the bed and began to feed Matriarch Gu the medicine. But Matriarch Gu was still unconscious. She simply could not swallow the medicine. Jiang Yue was so anxious that her eyes had turned red. She said tearfully, ¡°What should we do? Grandma can¡¯t drink the medicine at all. If this drags on until Grandma¡¯s asthma res up, that will be catastrophic.¡± Everyone in the room turned to look at Matriarch Gu worriedly. Qiao Nian walked over and said, ¡°Let me feed her the medicine!¡± Jiang Yue nced at Qiao Nian hesitantly, evidently still dissatisfied with her. Zhao Qian was so anxious that she had begun to pace about. She said worriedly, ¡°Sister Jiang, you should give the medicine to Second Sister-inw!¡± Only then did Jiang Yue hand the medicine to Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian took the bowl of medicine from Jiang Yue and sat down by Matriarch Gu¡¯s bed. She helped Matriarch Gu up and ced a clean and damp piece of tissue into the bowl of medicine. After taking it out, she ced it next to Matriarch Gu¡¯s mouth. As a witness, Jiang Yue said with disdain, ¡°Qiao Nian, what are you doing? Do you want Grandma to eat paper?¡± Doctor Su, who was standing to the side, hesitated for a moment. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone feed medicine like this!¡± Hearing Doctor Su¡¯s words, Jiang Yue grew even more confident. She red at Qiao Nian angrily. ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯re simply fooling around!¡± Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t even be bothered to look at Jiang Yue. With an indifferent expression, she said, ¡°If her lips are wet, she should be able to drink more.¡± Upon hearing her words, Doctor Su nodded thoughtfully and agreed, ¡°Second Young Madam, this method is excellent. I¡¯ve learned from you.¡± Through Qiao Nian¡¯s solution, Matriarch Gu indeed drank quite a bit of medicine. After that, Qiao Nian got Matriarch Gu to lie back down on the bed. She reached out to take Matriarch Gu¡¯s pulse. Jiang Yue grabbed Qiao Nian¡¯s arm and said angrily, ¡°Get up. Let Doctor Su treat Grandma.¡± Qiao Nian looked toward Jiang Yue with aplicated expression. Just as she was about to speak, Matriarch Gu, who was still unconscious, spat out another mouthful of blood and copsed onto the bed. Qiao Nian¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Qiao Nian, what on earth did you do to Grandma? Why is Grandma still vomiting blood?!¡± Jiang Yue roared. She clenched her fists and red at Qiao Nian viciously, as if Qiao Nian was a heinous criminal. Without hesitation, Jiang Yue pulled Qiao Nian aside. At this moment, Gu Zhou walked in. Gu Zhou had already seen Matriarch Gu vomiting blood. His face grew paler and paler, and his whole body emitted a cold aura. The entire room seemed to have entered the dead of winter. Gu Zhou walked over to Doctor Su and asked, ¡°How is Grandma now?¡± Doctor Su was startled by Gu Zhou¡¯s expression. He drew in a sharp breath, then quickly walked over to Matriarch Gu with his head lowered and began to take her pulse. Doctor Su had initially thought that Matriarch Gu was only suffering from a fever and a cold, and that there was nothing seriously wrong with her. However, when he took her pulse, he was shocked. Qiao Nian saw that Doctor Su¡¯s expression had changed. Her eyelid was twitching more and more, and the ominous feeling in her heart grew stronger and stronger. Qiao Nian looked at Doctor Su coldly and asked in a low voice, ¡°What¡¯s Grandma¡¯s condition now?¡± The cold aura Qiao Nian was exuding was no weaker than Gu Zhou¡¯s. Her beautiful eyes were slightly narrowed, and Doctor Su found that he didn¡¯t dare to look her in the eye. Doctor Su stood at the side, trembling. He said shakily, ¡°Matriarch¡­ Matriarch Gu¡¯s pulse is very strange.¡± ¡°How is it strange?¡± Zhao Qian asked impatiently. She took out a tissue and wiped her tears. Jiang Yue turned to look at Qiao Nian with resentment written all over her face. ¡°You must have harmed Grandma on purpose.¡± Gu Zhou red sharply at Jiang Yue, frightening her into silence. Chapter 91 - 91 Poisoned ?91: Poisoned 91: Poisoned Editor: As Studios Doctor Su lowered his head and stammered, ¡°Matriarch Gu¡¯s pulse¡­ She seems to have been poisoned.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s heart jumped to her throat. Jiang Yue seemed to have been severely provoked by Doctor Su¡¯s words. She immediately stepped forward and pushed Qiao Nian aside, looking at Doctor Su anxiously. ¡°Doctor Su, you just said that my grandmother only has a cold. How could she have been poisoned?¡± Jiang Yue asked, her words piercing the air like firecrackers. Jiang Yue¡¯s words echoed everyone¡¯s thoughts. At that moment, Doctor Su became even more afraid. He had never seen anything like this in his twenty-odd years as a doctor. Matriarch Gu clearly only had a cold. Why did her pulse suddenly indicate symptoms of poisoning after she took some cold medicine? He could not help but doubt himself. Had he misread her pulse? At this moment, Qiao Nian¡¯s frown deepened. She had a nagging feeling that something was wrong. Gu Zhou clenched his fists involuntarily. The veins on the back of his hands bulged in a sinister manner. He said coldly, ¡°Purge the poison now!¡± When Doctor Su heard Gu Zhou¡¯s words, he grew even more afraid. He lowered his head like a child who had done something wrong. ¡°Speak!¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s tone turned even colder. ¡°I¡¯m afraid¡­ I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no hope left¡­¡± Doctor Su mustered his courage and spoke. Gu Zhou¡¯s breathing faltered. His eyes were filled with coldness as he stared unblinkingly at Doctor Su. At that moment, Zhao Qian passed out from the shock. Fortunately, a servant caught her in time. At the butler¡¯s signal, the servant helped Zhao Qian out of the room. Jiang Yue¡¯s face was filled with pure shock. She staggered back, almost passing out, but managed to hold onto a cab for support just in time. Her mind was in a mess, and she only came back to her senses after a long while. ¡°Qiao Nian!¡± Jiang Yue looked at Qiao Nian as if she was the murderer. She said furiously, ¡°It was you! You were the one who poisoned Grandma! You must have wanted to kill Grandma!¡± Jiang Yue¡¯s words made everyone in the room turn to look at Qiao Nian. Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes darkened and his expression turned cold. Ignoring Jiang Yue¡¯s words, he walked to Matriarch Gu¡¯s bed and looked at her intently, his gaze tinged with sorrow. Jiang Yue nced at Gu Zhou from the corner of her eye. Seeing that Gu Zhou didn¡¯t attack Qiao Nian, her mind raced. Jiang Yue knew that this was the best time to bring Qiao Nian down. Seeing Qiao Nian walk towards the bed, Jiang Yue quickly stepped forward to stop her. ¡°Qiao Nian, what exactly do you want?¡± Jiang Yue¡¯s eyes were red, and her expression displeased. She began to fire usations at Qiao Nian. ¡°If you didn¡¯t give Grandma the medicine you made, why would Grandma have vomited blood and fainted?¡± Seeing that Qiao Nian was staring fixedly at Matriarch Gu, Jiang Yue used her body to block Qiao Nian¡¯s view. In tears, she questioned, ¡°Just now, you also read Doctor Su¡¯s prescription. There¡¯s nothing wrong with his prescription. Now, Grandma is poisoned because of the poison in the medicine you gave her! Grandma treats you like her own granddaughter. Why do you want to harm her?¡± Jiang Yue¡¯s forceful questions made everyone cast resentful gazes on Qiao Nian, pushing her to the forefront of the matter. By now, Gu Zhou understood the situation. His dark eyes were fixed intently on Qiao Nian. No one could be sure if he believed Jiang Yue¡¯s words. The atmosphere in the entire room turned very tense. Qiao Nian stood there calmly. She looked at Jiang Yue, as if she was holding back something. Her voice was cool as she said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with my medicine. As long as I take Grandma¡¯s pulse, I¡¯ll know why she was poisoned!¡± Upon hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Doctor Su frowned and said without hesitation, ¡°Second Young Madam, are you implying that I¡¯m harming Matriarch Su? Or that my medical skills are not good enough?¡± Qiao Nian gave Doctor Su an indifferent nce. Her medicine did note into conflict with the medicine Doctor Su had just prescribed. Logically speaking, Matriarch Gu should not have vomited blood after taking both kinds of medicine. Chapter 92 - 92 Let Her Treat Grandma ?92: Let Her Treat Grandma 92: Let Her Treat Grandma Editor: As Studios Now, Matriarch Gu¡¯s condition had worsened. What exactly was going on? ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re aware of it,¡± Qiao Nian said calmly. Her gaze was as cold as ice. Doctor Su was so angry that he could barely breathe. If his medical skills were not good, how could he have be a private doctor of the Gu family? Indeed, the fact that made Doctor Su the most displeased was that he was being questioned by such a young, inexperiencedss. This youngss clearly overestimated her own abilities. Frenzied with rage, Doctor Su said, ¡°I¡¯ve eaten more salt than you have rice. Your years of experience can barelypare to mine. How dare you¡­¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Qiao Nian gave Doctor Su an indifferent nce, then looked at Gu Zhou and said, ¡°If you want Grandma to survive this ordeal, bring me all of Grandma¡¯s previous medical records. All useless people are to leave! You are not to disrupt my treatment of Grandma!¡± With that, Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Doctor Su and Jiang Yue¡¯s faces. She fell just short of calling them by name. This was the first time Doctor Su had seen someone so brazen. He had been in the medical field for more than twenty years, and this was the first time he had been questioned by anyone so young. This youngss still dared to show off in front of him. She really overestimated her own abilities. He had been worried that if Matriarch Gu died, the Gu family might me him. Now, someone was willing to take the me. He was overjoyed. At the thought of this, Doctor Su¡¯s mood improved. However, he did not dare to show any of his happiness on his face. ¡°Second Young Madam, if you can cure Matriarch Gu today, I vow to never treat anyone else ever again,¡± Doctor Su said with utter seriousness. ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡± Qiao Nian said mercilessly. ¡°In that case, you¡¯ll have to quit the medical field very soon.¡± Doctor Su stood at the side and did not speak. He had already taken Matriarch Gu¡¯s pulse just now. Matriarch Gu was already deeply poisoned. Coupled with the fact that her body was already on the verge of copse, it would be useless even if he were to pump her stomach right now. It would only make Matriarch Gu suffer more. Sometimes, death wasn¡¯t so scary. What was much scarier would be suffering greatly while staying alive. At the thought of this, Doctor Su became much calmer. Qiao Nian walked to the bed and was about to take Matriarch Gu¡¯s pulse when she was pushed aside by Jiang Yue. Jiang Yue¡¯s face was dripping with tears as she sobbed. ¡°Qiao Nian, what have you done? You were clearly the one who poisoned Grandma, yet you¡¯re still putting on an act¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Gu Zhou red at Jiang Yue. Jiang Yue was startled by Gu Zhou¡¯s voice. Frightened, she looked at Gu Zhou in disbelief and asked hesitantly, ¡°Second Brother, do you believe her? She clearly¡­¡± ¡°Let her treat Grandma.¡± Gu Zhou retracted his gaze indifferently. It was akin to giving Jiang Yue an affirmative answer. Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou in surprise. She didn¡¯t expect Gu Zhou to believe her. Right now, Matriarch Gu¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t great. She reached out to push Jiang Yue away and walked towards the bed. For just a moment, there was a murderous glint in her eyes, frightening Jiang Yue so much that she began to tremble. Jiang Yue walked to the side unwillingly and lowered her gaze slightly to hide the dissatisfaction in her eyes. She wouldn¡¯t mind seeing what Qiao Nian could do to bring a dead person back to life. Qiao Nian sat by the bed and took Matriarch Gu¡¯s hand, beginning to feel her pulse. At this moment, Matriarch Gu¡¯s pulse was extremely weak, as if her heart would stop beating at any moment. Indeed, Matriarch Gu had been poisoned. This was very strange. Neither the medicine she had given Matriarch Gu nor the medicine Doctor Su had prescribed would poison Matriarch Gu. Qiao Nian¡¯s brow furrowed. She turned to look at Doctor Su and asked, ¡°Doctor Su, are you sure that Grandma just had a cold when you first took her pulse?¡± Doctor Su had already cursed Qiao Nian and all her ancestors many times over in his heart, but he didn¡¯t let it show on his face. He said calmly, ¡°Even if my medical skills aren¡¯t good enough, I¡¯ve never misread anyone¡¯s pulse. The first time I took Matriarch Gu¡¯s pulse, she was indeed only suffering from a cold.¡± Chapter 93 - 93 Safflower ?93: Safflower? 93: Safflower? Editor: As Studios This time, Qiao Nian didn¡¯t doubt Doctor Su¡¯s words. She believed that his medical skills were definitely solid. Only then could he have be Grandma¡¯s attending physician. However, this time, Grandma¡¯s pulse did indicate that she had been poisoned. This time, she was not entirely confident that she could save Grandma. But now, if she could find out the cause of Grandma¡¯s poisoning, she could save her. Qiao Nian¡¯s heart was beating wildly, but her expression remained calm. Her gaze fell on a table not far away. There was a blue and white porcin teacup on the table. Jiang Yue had handed this cup to Matriarch Gu just now, and Matriarch Gu had finished all the tea in it. A servant handed Matriarch Gu¡¯s medical records to Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian took the documents from him and looked up at the butler. ¡°Butler, go and get the dregs of the medicine I¡¯ve brewed, as well as the dregs of the cold medicine from just now.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± the butler answered and quickly walked out. Jiang Yue turned pale. She tugged at her sleeves uneasily. Qiao Nian wasn¡¯t idle either. She took a brief look at her grandmother¡¯s medical records over the past two months. Her grandmother had been in good healthtely, and it had been a long time since herst asthma attack. Qiao Nian took out the silver needles she always carried with her. After disinfecting them, she helped Matriarch Gu up. Seeing Qiao Nian¡¯s actions, Doctor Su thought that Qiao Nian was trying to seal Matriarch Gu¡¯s pain acupoints to give her relief from the pain. He rolled his eyes silently. He had been looking forward to seeing Qiao Nian perform something amazing, but it turned out that she was just putting on a show! Just as Doctor Su was looking at Qiao Nian with scorn and disdain, he saw Qiao Nian picking up a silver needle and inserting it into Matriarch Gu¡¯srynx. After that, Qiao Nian pressed down on Matriarch Gu¡¯s stomach, her movements sharp and professional. Doctor Su frowned deeply. He didn¡¯t understand what Qiao Nian was doing. Qiao Nian then pped Matriarch Gu hard on the back. Matriarch Gu, who was still unconscious, immediately reacted. She threw up everything she had just eaten. Doctor Su was stunned. This was the first time he had seen someone use acupuncture to induce vomiting. Doctor Su straightened his back and took a step towards Matriarch Gu¡¯s bed, wanting to see what Qiao Nian was going to do next. However, the servants were crowding the area. Doctor Su simply couldn¡¯t approach the bed any further. Because everyone was busy cleaning up the mess made by Matriarch Gu¡¯s vomit. Doctor Su began to observe Qiao Nian¡¯s techniques. For some reason, he suddenly recalled a few years ago, he had once read in an acupuncture book that acupuncture could be used to induce vomiting. However, ordinary doctors would not dare to use this method. This method would put the acupuncture skills of a doctor to the test. If the technique was used incorrectly, the patient might suffocate and die. Doctor Su no longer dared to underestimate Qiao Nian. He was very curious now if Qiao Nian could save Matriarch Gu. Matriarch Gu was already halfway to death¡¯s door. After vomiting, Matriarch Gu was ced back onto the bed by Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian nced at the clock and inserted a few more needles into Matriarch Gu¡¯s body. Only then did she heave a sigh of relief. At longst, Matriarch Gu was safe. At this moment, the butler had already brought over the medicinal dregs. Qiao Nian first inspected her medicinal dregs. Be it the ingredients or the proportions used, there was no problem she could see. After that, she examined the medicinal dregs used to treat Grandma¡¯s cold, and her expression gradually turned serious. When she saw the safflower in the ck medicinal dregs, her eyes widened and her breathing quickened. How could this be? Previously, when she was preparing her medicine, she had added only a little safflower. But there was no safflower in Doctor Su¡¯s prescription. Why was there safflower in the dregs? There was a great quantity of safflower. It would be dangerous for ordinary people to consume this amount, let alone Grandma, who was physically weak and who suffered from heart disease. Safflower was effective in promoting blood cirction, and was helpful in treating heart disease to a certain degree. If a lot of safflower was consumed, patients with heart disease would likely suffer severe side effects. Chapter 94 - 94 Framed ?94: Framed 94: Framed Editor: As Studios ¡°Who brewed this medicine?¡± Qiao Nian turned to look at the butler and asked sternly, ¡°Why did you add so much safflower?¡± The butler nced at Qiao Nian and frowned slightly. He said, ¡°I weighed the ingredients for the medicine myself, and brewed it myself too. I followed Doctor Su¡¯s prescription exactly.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s expression grew darker and darker. She frowned slightly. She trusted the butler. He would never do anything to harm her grandmother. Qiao Nian looked up at Gu Zhou and said, ¡°Someone wanted to harm Grandma by swapping the medicinal ingredients in the medicine cab!¡± The butler did not know much about medicine. All he knew was to select the medicinal herbs ording to thebels on eachpartment of the medicine cab. Gu Zhou turned to look at the butler and said coldly, ¡°Lock the medicinal room. Investigate who¡¯s been in theretely.¡± When Jiang Yue heard Gu Zhou¡¯s words, a trace of panic shed across her face. However, she quickly steadied herself. ¡°Second Sister-inw, aren¡¯t you always in the medicinal room?¡± Jiang Yue smiled coldly, looking at Qiao Nian with heavy suspicion. Once again, Jiang Yue¡¯s words attracted everyone¡¯s attention. After all, Qiao Nian was the only one who entered the medicinal room on a regr basis. If Qiao Nian swapped the herbs in the medicine cab on purpose, no one would notice. Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian calmly. His face was expressionless, and she couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking. Qiao Nian gave an impassive smile and looked at Jiang Yue with contempt. ¡°What a joke. If I wanted to poison someone, why would I use such a crude method? Why would I let everyone know that I¡¯m the culprit? Am I that stupid?¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, you¡¯ve only joined the Gu family for a few days, and this has happened.¡± Jiang Yue sneered and said disdainfully, ¡°Does this really have nothing to do with you?¡± Qiao Nian smiled coldly at Jiang Yue, her beautiful eyes filled with anger. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Jiang to be so good at fabricating fiction. Looks like you can be a screenwriter!¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, why did you change the medicinal herbs in the medicine cab?¡± Jiang Yue fired the question at Qiao Nian, her expression stony. Qiao Nian ignored Jiang Yue and picked up the bowl of medicinal dregs again. She wanted to see what kind of ingredients had been used. In the beginning, Grandma only had a cold and a fever. Why did she be poisoned after taking this medicine? Could it be that some medicinal ingredients hade into conflict with each other? Indeed, that was the case. Qiao Nian had to admit that the culprit was quite a clever person. Qiao Nian narrowed her eyes and looked up at Jiang Yue. If she remembered correctly, Jiang Yue studied medicine as well, and she had already received a PhD. ¡°In the cold medicine, there¡¯s an extraneous dose of safflower. There shouldn¡¯t have been a problem with thebination of these and my medicine, but because the dosage of the safflower was incorrect, Grandma was poisoned.¡± Qiao Nian said coldly, a slight frown on her face. Hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, everyone was stunned. Qiao Nian walked over to the table and looked at the teacup Matriarch Gu had drunk from. There was the faint smell of Chinese medicine emanating from the teacup. She brought the cup to her nose. Sniffing carefully, she caught the scent of safflower. ¡°There are traces of safflower in this cup.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Jiang Yue¡¯s face, and she handed the cup to the servant. ¡°Go and investigate if this bowl has been previously soaked in safflower solution.¡± Jiang Yue turned pale. She remained quiet. Qiao Nian didn¡¯t name names. Instead, she continued, ¡°This person is very smart. They know that Grandma¡¯s pulse will go haywire when she takes the medicine. It might seem as if she¡¯s got a cold or a fever, but if she takes medicine which contains safflower, she¡¯ll be poisoned. She might go into aa, but if it¡¯s serious, she¡¯ll die.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes were filled with ice. His hands were clenched tightly into fists as he swept his gaze over everyone present. It was as if he were a wild beast about to capture its prey. His gaze was suffocating, striking fear in everyone who met his eyes. Doctor Su leaned over and carefully looked at the two portions of medicinal dregs. He nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Indeed!¡± At this point, Doctor Su no longer dared to look down on Qiao Nian. He sensed that this youngss was quite capable. Jiang Yue coughed twice. ring at Qiao Nian resentfully, she raged, ¡°Qiao Nian, why did you harm Grandma? Grandma likes you so much. She¡¯s treated you so well. Do you still have a conscience?¡± Chapter 95 - 95 Biting The Hand That Feeds You ?95: Biting The Hand That Feeds You? 95: Biting The Hand That Feeds You? Editor: As Studios ¡°Jiang Yue, after I left the medicinal room yesterday, did you enter the medicinal room?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Jiang Yue intently. When she spoke to Zhao Qian yesterday, she had vaguely sensed that someone was outside. Jiang Yue frowned. She said angrily, ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯re trying to frame me. I¡¯m telling you, Grandma has raised me since I was young. How could I do such a thing?¡± Holding the fruit knife, Qiao Nian stepped towards Matriarch Gu. She sneered when she heard Jiang Yue¡¯s words. ¡°You know very well whether you did it or not.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Jiang Yue argued loudly. Seeing Qiao Nian pick up the fruit knife, she took two steps back in fear. When she saw that Qiao Nian wasn¡¯t about to rush at her with the knife, she hurriedly stepped forward again to stop Qiao Nian. ¡°W-What are you going to do with the knife?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to save Grandma¡¯s life. You¡¯d better go somewhere else. Don¡¯t interfere with my work!¡± Qiao Nian reached out and pushed Jiang Yue¡¯s arm away. Jiang Yue hurriedly grabbed Qiao Nian¡¯s hand, her eyes full of vignce. ¡°You won¡¯t need a knife to save Grandma!¡± ¡°Let go of me!¡± Qiao Nian looked at Jiang Yue, practically speechless with frustration. Without hesitation, she mercilessly dislocated one of Jiang Yue¡¯s arms. The pain was so great that Jiang Yue screamed, instantly turning pale. Qiao Nian walked over to the bed. Seeing Gu Zhou looking at Matriarch Gu worriedly, sheforted him. ¡°Grandma will be fine. I¡¯ll start letting some of Grandma¡¯s blood now¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense! Who treats patients like this?!¡± Right now, Jiang Yue had more on her mind than just the pain. She couldn¡¯t even be bothered to scream about it any longer. Instead, she shouted, ¡°I¡¯ve already called 120. The ambnce will be here soon!¡± Seeing that Gu Zhou trusted Qiao Nian, Jiang Yue grew so anxious that tears began to stream down her face. ¡°Second Brother, you mustn¡¯t believe what she¡¯s saying. She has always been a suspect in this incident. We can¡¯t let her torment Grandma anymore, unless she can prove her innocence.¡± Gu Zhou did not speak. He lowered his gaze, seemingly in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t need to prove anything. If we miss the optimal window for treatment, that will be a big problem for Grandma.¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou and said calmly, ¡°Moreover, Jiang Yue is clearly full of nonsense. She¡¯s not thinking of how to stabilize Grandma¡¯s condition. Instead, she wants to sow discord at this critical moment. She likely has other intentions.¡± Gu Zhou nced at the butler and said impassively, ¡°Tie her up and throw her out!¡± Jiang Yue thought that Gu Zhou was going to throw Qiao Nian out of the room. She looked toward Qiao Nian with arrogance, but when the butler walked up to her, she waspletely stunned. ¡°What are you doing? Why are you tying me up? Second Brother asked you to throw Qiao Nian out, not me!¡± One of Jiang Yue¡¯s arms had been dislocated, and she was in a lot of pain. Seeing that the butler was still trying to tie her up, she turned red from exertion and anxiety. The butler did not speak. Instead, he swiftly tied Jiang Yue up. Although Jiang Yue was Matriarch Lin¡¯s god-granddaughter, Second Young Master¡¯s words were the imperial edict. As Jiang Yue was led out of the room by the butler, she turned back to re resentfully at Qiao Nian. Grandma trusted Qiao Nian! Gu Zhou trusted Qiao Nian! Even Zhao Qian, who liked Gu Zhou, was beginning to trust Qiao Nian! How was this fair? Why did everyone believe Qiao Nian? Why not her? When Jiang Yue had been taken out, the room fell silent. Gu Zhou looked up at Qiao Nian and said coldly, ¡°If you don¡¯t make a move now, I¡¯ll believe for the time being that this has nothing to do with you. If you make a move now, but fail to save Grandma, you won¡¯t be able to live either!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s dark eyes were fixed intently on Gu Zhou. She knew very well that Gu Zhou was testing her. Moreover, she knew that Gu Zhou was not joking. If she did not manage to save Grandma, he would kill her without hesitation. Qiao Nian gripped the fruit knife in her hand tightly. Lowering her gaze, she cut open her grandmother¡¯s hand without hesitation. Blood gushed out instantly, dying the bedsheets crimson. It was a ghastly sight! Qiao Nian was using an action to answer Gu Zhou¡¯s question. If Grandma lived, she would live. If Grandma died, she was willing to die with Grandma! Everyone was stunned by Qiao Nian¡¯s actions. Chapter 96 - 96 Everything Is Fine Now ?96: Everything Is Fine Now 96: Everything Is Fine Now Editor: As Studios Seeing how bold Qiao Nian was, Doctor Su broke out in a cold sweat. In his eyes, Qiao Nian¡¯s actions were tantamount to suicide. Qiao Nian took out a silver needle and continued to purge the poison in Matriarch Gu¡¯s body. When she was done, she stood up and began to walk out of the room. Seeing this, the butler thought that Qiao Nian was trying to escape the situation. Just as he was about to chase after her, Gu Zhou shot him a look, and the butler quailed. Two minutester, much to everyone¡¯s astonishment, Qiao Nian ran back into the room, holding a white porcin bottle. Her forehead was covered in sweat, perhaps because she had been running too fast. Qiao Nian didn¡¯t even have time to wipe her sweat away. With a solemn expression, she helped Matriarch Gu up again. After feeding Matriarch Gu the medicine, she nced at her watch and removed the silver needles from Matriarch Gu¡¯s body. After she was done, Qiao Nian bandaged the wound on Matriarch Gu¡¯s wrist and helped her lie back down. Everyone¡¯s attention was wholly on Matriarch Gu. Only after seeing her chest rise and fall did they all heave a sigh of relief. Jiang Yue stood at the side with her head slightly lowered. No one could tell what she was feeling. ¡°Ah!¡± The butler screamed. Everyone turned to frown at the butler. They all felt displeased with his behavior; he was acting overly flustered. A trace of joyous surprise shed across the butler¡¯s face. He said loudly, ¡°Why are you looking at me? Look at Matriarch Gu instead. Her fingers moved!¡± His words instantly attracted everyone¡¯s attention, and they all turned to look at Matriarch Gu¡¯s hands. When Gu Zhou saw Matriarch Gu¡¯s fingers move, delight shed in his eyes. For a moment, the world of darkness that had shrouded the onlookers seemed to be filled with light. Doctor Su looked at Matriarch Gu¡¯s fingers in disbelief. H-how was this possible¡­ Did Qiao Nian really save Matriarch Gu? Suppressing the joy he felt, Gu Zhou lowered his gaze before ncing at Qiao Nian, who was sitting next to him. His expression wasplicated. Qiao Nian ced her hand on Matriarch Gu¡¯s forehead. After a beat, she retracted it. Matriarch Gu was no longer running a fever, and her condition had already stabilized. Qiao Nian¡¯s heart, which had been in her throat, finally settled back down. She looked up at Gu Zhou and met his dark eyes. His eyes were as calm as the surface of ake, almost as if he didn¡¯t care if Matriarch Gu lived or died. ¡°Grandma¡¯s fever has already subsided and her life is no longer in danger. However, her body is still very weak right now and she can¡¯t move around. She can only recuperate in bed. After this, I¡¯ll prescribe some medicine for Grandma to recuperate,¡± Qiao Nian said calmly. Her gaze inadvertently fell on Gu Zhou¡¯s hands, and she saw Gu Zhou¡¯s clenched fists slowly loosen. So he was still very worried about Matriarch Gu. Jiang Yue, who had been standing at the side, widened her eyes in disbelief. ¡°Grandma¡­ Is she really okay?¡± How was this possible? Apart from feeding her some medicine, Qiao Nian had only inserted a few needles into Grandma. She had also let quite a lot of Grandma¡¯s blood. Was that really all it took to save Grandma? Not only that, but this also meant that Qiao Nian was no longer a suspect. Qiao Nian gave Jiang Yue a meaningful look, then her gaze fell on Doctor Su¡¯s face. She said, ¡°Doctor Su, you cane over to examine Matriarch Gu again.¡± Doctor Su had been waiting for Qiao Nian to say this for a long time. He had never expected Qiao Nian to rescue Matriarch Gu in just two or three moves. He stepped forward quickly and began to examine Matriarch Gu. His hand first fell on Matriarch Gu¡¯s wrist. A person¡¯s pulse was the best indicator of their health condition. Strange. How strange. Although Matriarch Gu¡¯s pulse was weak, it had calmed down significantly. Matriarch Gu was not running a fever now, and herplexion was gradually getting better. She was truly out of danger. Doctor Su looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief, forgetting to even breathe. After a long while, he finally asked stammeringly, ¡°Which hospital are you from? Why haven¡¯t I heard of you before?¡± Chapter 97 - 97 Awaken ?97: Awaken 97: Awaken Editor: As Studios ¡°I¡¯m not a doctor in any hospital. It¡¯s normal for Doctor Su to not know of me. But Doctor Su, do you remember what you said just now?¡± A trace of embarrassment shed across Doctor Su¡¯s face. He still remembered what he had just said. He felt that he had truly overestimated his own abilities. However, he had to concede defeat. He was not a sore loser, nor one who would go back on his word. Letting out a helpless sigh, Doctor Su replied, ¡°I know. I will withdraw from the medical field in the future, and will no longer treat anyone else ever again.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s expression was nk as she spoke. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I hope Doctor Su can nurse Grandma back to good health.¡± At Qiao Nian¡¯s words, everyone was stunned. Even Doctor Su was stunned. His attitude just now had been dreadful. He had practically used Qiao Nian of being a liar. Now that he heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, he felt immensely guilty. When he looked at Qiao Nian again, his eyes were filled with admiration. Qiao Nian was so young, but she was so magnanimous. Most people would not be able to achieve the same level of character. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Second Young Madam. In the future, I¡¯ll take proper care of Matriarch Gu¡¯s health. If there¡¯s anything you need from me in the future, I¡¯ll definitely go through hell and high water for you without hesitation!¡± Doctor Su said sincerely. Qiao Nian¡¯s expression was indifferent. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Actually, Qiao Nian could understand what Dr. Su had just done. If this were to happen to an ordinary doctor, they would naturally think that there was no chance of Grandma making it out alive. Hence, Doctor Su just wanted for Grandma to pass away in peace. This was because Doctor Su¡¯s medical skills were not entirely up to standard. Hence, the me shouldn¡¯t lie on only Doctor Su¡¯s shoulders. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Jiang Yue. Jiang Yue began to feel a little ufortable under her gaze. She lowered her head, her mind racing as she thought about how to get rid of the suspicion that had fallen on her. Just as she was about to speak, Matriarch Gu awakened. Matriarch Gu opened her eyes slightly and looked at Gu Zhou, who was standing by her bed. Her eyes were slightly red-rimmed as she said weakly, ¡°Ah Zhou¡­¡± ¡°Grandma!¡± Seeing that Matriarch Gu had awoken, Jiang Yue looked as if she had seen a ray of hope. She hurriedly rushed over with teary eyes, calling out excitedly. However, Gu Zhou turned around and blocked Jiang Yue from view. Gu Zhou looked down at Matriarch Gu and reached out to grab her hand. His voice was as low as ever. ¡°Grandma.¡± ¡°I seem to have had a very long dream. I dreamed that I met the king of the underworld. He wanted me to reincarnate.¡± At this point, Matriarch Gu began to sob. A trace of worry shed in Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes, but he quickly recovered his usualposure. ¡°It was just a dream.¡± Matriarch Gu¡¯s eyes were red. This was actually the first time she had had such a close brush with death. However, when she thought about leaving Ah Zhou and Little Qi behind after her death, her heart ached terribly. Actually, the person she was most worried about was Ah Zhou. This child had a phobia of women and was extremely paranoid. If he didn¡¯t get together with Nian Nian, he would probably be alone for the rest of his life. Now, her greatest hope was to see Gu Zhou live a happy life before she passed. Matriarch Gu turned to look at Qiao Nian, who was standing at the side. She said softly, ¡°Nian Nian.¡± ¡°Grandma.¡± Seeing Matriarch Gu in such a weak state, Qiao Nian thought of her own grandmother, who had raised her since she was young. She felt terrible. ¡°I heard a little of what just happened.¡± Matriarch Gu looked at Qiao Nian gratefully. ¡°Without you, I might not have woken up. You¡¯re really the lucky star of the Gu family.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault that you¡¯ve suffered so much this time.¡± Qiao Nian shook her head slightly. In her heart, she med herself greatly. ¡°If I had been able to keep an eye on the medicinal room, such a serious mishap would not have happened.¡± ¡°This has nothing to do with you. No one can possibly keep their guard up forever, nor maintain constant vignce.¡± Matriarch Gu spoke up tofort her. ¡°This is someone else¡¯s fault, not yours. Don¡¯t me yourself for this.¡± Chapter 98 - 98 Forcing Her to Take an Oath ?98: Forcing Her to Take an Oath 98: Forcing Her to Take an Oath Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian chose to no longer dwell on this matter. Instead, she said softly, ¡°Grandma, you¡¯ve just woken up and you¡¯re still very weak. You need to recuperate in a quiet environment. Don¡¯t worry, Second Young Master will definitely investigate what happened today.¡± Hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Matriarch Gu nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll sleep for a while. You should go back and rest too!¡± Jiang Yue, who had been standing at the side, had tears running down her face. Grandma had called for Second Brother and Qiao Nian, but not her. It was as if she wasn¡¯t even a member of the Gu family. So Grandma didn¡¯t care about her at all. While Jiang Yue was thinking this, the butler was still untying the knots around her wrists! Jiang Yue now understood that the only person she could count on in the Gu family was Grandma. Hence, she stepped forward and said, ¡°Second Brother, I want to stay here and take care of Grandma.¡± Qiao Nian wanted to object, but she didn¡¯t want to quarrel with Jiang Yue in front of Grandma. She could only hope that Gu Zhou wouldn¡¯t let Jiang Yue stay. Gu Zhou gave Jiang Yue an indifferent nce. Showing no mercy, he refused her request. ¡°Grandma needs to rest quietly. She won¡¯t needpany.¡± Thest bit of blood drained from Jiang Yue¡¯s face. Biting her lip, she walked out with everyone else. The butler was thest to leave Matriarch Gu¡¯s room. He closed the door and instructed two servants to guard Matriarch Gu¡¯s door. The butler brought Doctor Su to the medicinal room. They still had to investigate what had happened there. As the group gradually dispersed, Gu Zhou stood at the entrance of Matriarch Gu¡¯s room. He did not leave immediately. Instead, he looked worriedly at Matriarch Gu¡¯s door. Qiao Nian didn¡¯t leave either. She believed that the truth about what had happened in the medicinal room woulde to light very soon. Hence, she chose to stand guard at Matriarch Gu¡¯s door, thinking that if Matriarch Gu needed anything, she could provide assistance as soon as possible. Jiang Yue had initially wanted to return to her room, but seeing that Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian had both stayed behind, she decided to stay as well. With her head slightly lowered, Jiang Yue nced at Gu Zhou out of the corner of her eye, then at Qiao Nian. Her mind was racing. ¡°Second Sister-inw.¡± Jiang Yue walked up to Qiao Nian, breaking the silence in the corridor. Her voice was as gentle as ever, and tinged with a shade of apology. Qiao Nian leaned on the wall with her arms crossed. Standing at half a head taller than Jiang Yue, she looked down at Jiang Yue impassively. The displeasure in her eyes was obvious. Jiang Yue seemed to be frightened by Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze. Her eyes grew red-rimmed in an instant, brimming with tears. Suppressing her tears, Jiang Yue spoke, her voice choked-up. ¡°Second Sister-inw, I was in the wrong just now. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Qiao Nian didn¡¯t say anything. She just looked at Jiang Yue calmly. Jiang Yue felt a little ufortable under Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze. She lowered her head, tears flowing down her cheeks in silence. ¡°If anything happens to Grandma, I won¡¯t want to live anymore.¡± Qiao Nian didn¡¯t speak for a long time. She just stared at Jiang Yue. When she saw Jiang Yue sneaking a nce at her, she spoke. ¡°Jiang Yue.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s voice was cold, like ice in the dead of winter. It chilled one to the bone. Jiang Yue looked up at Qiao Nian with teary eyes. She felt a chill run down her spine. Qiao Nian continued looking at Jiang Yue calmly, her brow raised. She enunciated each word clearly as she spoke. ¡°Can you swear on the souls of your deceased parents that you didn¡¯t tamper with any of the herbs in the medicine cab?¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s words attracted the attention of the servants. One by one, they looked toward Jiang Yue, waiting to watch a good show. Jiang Yue tended to act high and mighty in the Gu residence, and often bullied the servants. They had long found Jiang Yue an eyesore. Jiang Yue¡¯s face was now as pale as a sheet of paper. Her teeth were chattering, and her hands were clenched tightly. ¡°If you¡¯re the one who harmed Grandma, your parents¡¯ souls will never be reincarnated. You¡¯ll never be able to be with the person you love for the rest of your life!¡± Qiao Nian narrowed her eyes at Jiang Yue. ¡°Do you dare to take this oath?¡± Jiang Yue¡¯s breathing grew more and more rapid, and her heart gradually rose to her throat. Her forehead was covered in sweat, and she swayed on the spot, as if she would faint at any moment. Chapter 99 - 99 Taking the Oath ?99: Taking the Oath 99: Taking the Oath Editor: As Studios ¡°Second Brother, I didn¡¯t harm Grandma!¡± Jiang Yue looked toward Gu Zhou pleadingly, as if she hoped that Gu Zhou would stand up for her. ¡°Everything I¡¯ve done has been for Grandma¡¯s sake.¡± Gu Zhou merely stood there in silence, his entire body radiating a cold aura. ¡°Second Brother, Grandma raised me since I was young. How could I be so ungrateful?¡± Jiang Yue looked at Gu Zhou anxiously, tears trickling down her face. She looked extremely pitiful. Those who didn¡¯t know better would think that someone had bullied her. ¡°Since you didn¡¯t do anything to let Grandma down, then take the oath!¡± Qiao Nianfeng said lightly. ¡°Second Sister-inw, how can you say that?¡± Jiang Yue questioned tearfully. ¡°My parents were already in great pain when they were alive. Why do you still want to disrupt their souls?¡± ¡°Since you said that you didn¡¯t do this, then even if you were to swear on their souls, you wouldn¡¯t be disturbing them, would you?¡± Qiao Nian said carelessly. She red coldly at Jiang Yue, her gaze like a venomous snake. Jiang Yue¡¯s scalp began to go numb under Qiao Nian¡¯s re. She shook her head and said stubbornly, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it. I didn¡¯t harm Grandma!¡± ¡°Then swear on it!¡± Qiao Nian said relentlessly, reminding Jiang Yue of her words once again. Jiang Yue clenched her fists tightly, tears falling from her eyes. After a long while, she said with red-rimmed eyes, ¡°If I¡¯m the one who made Grandma fall ill, then my parents will never be able to reincarnate. They will never, ever be happy.¡± After taking the oath, Jiang Yue started to cry even more pitifully. When Qiao Nian heard Jiang Yue¡¯s words, a faint smile appeared on her face. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already sworn on it, I¡¯ll believe you for the time being.¡± Jiang Yue wiped her tears and asked pitifully, ¡°Second Sister-inw, why are you targeting me?¡± ¡°Miss Jiang, are you sure that statement is entirely urate?¡± Qiao Nian asked. Jiang Yue looked at Qiao Nian strangely, not understanding what she had said wrong. ¡°Out of everyone in the Gu family, you¡¯ve always been the one targeting me, haven¡¯t you?¡± Qiao Nian asked, looking at Jiang Yue. Jiang Yue froze for a moment. Indeed, she seemed to be the only one who had suspected Qiao Nian just now. She had been too anxious just now. Qiao Nian looked at Jiang Yue thoughtfully, then turned to look at Gu Zhou and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go prepare some herbal cuisine for Grandma.¡± With that, Qiao Nian left without looking back. Jiang Yue watched as Qiao Nian left. For some reason, she had a bad feeling about this. ¡°Jiang Yue.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s voice rang out from the side. Jiang Yue turned to look at Gu Zhou. ¡°Do you still remember how your parents died?¡± Standing where he was, Gu Zhou asked coldly. Jiang Yue looked at Gu Zhou. She understood what Gu Zhou meant. Gu Zhou was still suspicious of her. Back then, their family of three had been kidnapped. In order to protect her, his father and mother had been tortured to death by the kidnappers. When the police arrived, she had been shielded by her parents, who had bracketed her on both sides. It was because of this that she managed to survive the ordeal. However, her parents had already been beaten ck and blue. Jiang Yue could still remember her parents¡¯ groans of pains when they were tortured. Even now, she often dreamed of her parents being tortured in the hands of the kidnappers. ¡°Second Brother, I¡¯ve had nothing to do with any of this. A clear conscience is not afraid of nder.¡± Forcibly maintaining herposure, Jiang Yue spoke, enunciating each word. Gu Zhou gave Jiang Yue a meaningful look, then left. Jiang Yue was drenched in cold sweat. Seeing Gu Zhou leave, her legs gave way, and she copsed to the ground, sobbing. The two servants, who had been guarding Matriarch Gu¡¯s room, looked down at Jiang Yue and pretended not to see anything. Jiang Yue cried hysterically, as if she had suffered a tremendous grievance. Jiang Yue sobbed until she passed out. Chapter 100 - 100 Budding ?100: Budding 100: Budding Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian walked to the kitchen and carefully examined all the utensils there. She was worried that some of the utensils might have been soaked in safflower solution as well. After Qiao Nian had made sure that all of them were clean, she got ready to head to the medicinal room to prepare some herbs for Grandma. Just as she turned around, she identally bumped into someone. Startled, she instinctively stepped backwards. However, she stumbled over a small stool next to her, falling backwards uncontrobly. Qiao Nian quickly shut her eyes, bracing herself for the impact. However, the expected pain from the impact did not arrive. She opened her eyes and saw Gu Zhou standing in front of her. He had already secured an arm around her waist. Gu Zhou¡¯s arm flexed. In one swift motion, he pulled Qiao Nian towards him. Qiao Nian found herself falling clumsily into Gu Zhou¡¯s arms. Her ear was pressed against his chest. His heartbeat echoed clearly in her ears. She could smell the faint aroma of medicine from his body. Qiao Nian¡¯s ears turned red without her permission. Hurriedly, she pushed Gu Zhou away and lowered her gaze. Pursing her lips, she asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stand guard by Grandma¡¯s door?¡± Gu Zhou straightened his clothes. Immediately, he glimpsed a red lipstick stain on his white shirt. He looked up and saw that Qiao Nian¡¯s lipstick was slightly smudged. Extending a hand, he gently touched the corner of Qiao Nian¡¯s mouth with his thumb. His movements were exceedingly gentle, as if he was terrified of hurting her. Qiao Nian¡¯s heart began to race as she looked up at Gu Zhou. Suddenly, the memory of that night five years ago shed into her mind. The man had caressed the corner of her mouth like this, too. Their actions were practically identical. Qiao Nian stared at Gu Zhou, frozen. After a moment, she ducked away, avoiding his hand. She tucked her hair behind her ear awkwardly and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to make some porridge for Grandma.¡± ¡°Thank you for today.¡± At this moment, Gu Zhou was wholly certain that Qiao Nian had nothing to do with those people. If she had, he guessed that he would have died under her silver needles by now. ¡°That¡­¡± Qiao Nian pursed her lips and looked up at Gu Zhou. ¡°She¡¯s my grandmother now. It¡¯s only right that I save her. You don¡¯t have to thank me specially.¡± With that, Qiao Nian walked towards the medicinal room. She was worried that others would retrieve the wrong medicinal ingredients, so she decided to retrieve the herbs herself. After calcting the dosage, she returned to the kitchen to prepare the medicinal porridge. Gu Zhou remained standing at the entrance of the kitchen. He watched as the kitchen bustled with activity. Steam rose from the pots on the stove, curling in the air. Gu Zhou felt an indescribable warmth in his heart. That warmth seemed to adhere to his blood, flowing through his entire body. He lowered his head slightly. His thumb was still pink from Qiao Nian¡¯s lipstick. He couldn¡¯t help but recall the touch of Qiao Nian¡¯s lips. Something in his heart began to stir. Gu Zhou frowned, forcibly suppressing the strange feeling in his heart. While Qiao Nian was making the porridge, she noticed Gu Zhou standing behind her the entire time. When the porridge was almost ready, Gu Zhou had disappeared. Only then did she heave a sigh of relief. She was really too tired right now. She would ask the butler to bring the porridge to Matriarch Gu. ¡­ At the fifth mental hospital in An City. Decked in haute couture, high heels, and a pair of sunsses, Qiao Xin stepped into the mental hospital. At this moment, the patients in the mental hospital were ying outside. Some of them were defecating in the courtyard, and some were even running around naked. Qiao Xin frowned, her eyes filled with contempt. However, when she thought of Qiao Nian living with these people, she felt a spark of joy. ¡°Second Young Mistress Qiao, this way, please!¡± The nurse smiled at Qiao Xin and led her to a building not far away. Just as she reached the entrance of the building, Qiao Nian¡¯s attending doctor, Yang Ze, walked out with a smile. ¡°Second Young Mistress Qiao, you¡¯re here.¡± Qiao Xin walked up to Yang Ze and took off her sunsses, disying a sweet and polite smile. She asked, ¡°Doctor Yang, what has my sister been doing when she lived here for the past five years?¡± Qiao Xin was curious. How did Qiao Nian be the principal of An University? Hence, she came down here to investigate. It would be great if Qiao Nian had made a fool of herself here. Then, she could publicize Qiao Nian¡¯s ¡°excellence¡± to the Gu family. Yang Ze thought for a while and said, ¡°Miss Qiao would either be reading or gardening. She has never left the hospital.¡± Qiao Xin¡¯s expression faltered just a fraction. How was this possible? Chapter 101 - 101 Leisure ?101: Leisure? 101: Leisure? Editor: As Studios Reading? Gardening? Had Qiao Nian lived such a refined and leisurely life for those five years? ¡°How was she able to stay idle?¡± Qiao Xin asked. Yang Ze said calmly, ¡°Second Young Mistress Qiao, if you don¡¯t believe me, why don¡¯t I take you there?¡± ¡°Alright, thank you for your trouble, Doctor Yang.¡± Qiao Xin followed behind Yang Ze and walked towards the small courtyard where Qiao Nian used to live. Before she reached the small courtyard, Qiao Xin could already smell the fragrance of flowers. ¡°Miss Qiao, Young Mistress Qiao¡¯s residence is right in front,¡± Yang Ze exined with a smile. In front of them was a garden filled with a variety of flowers and nts. The flowers were in bloom, attracting many bees and butterflies. In the middle of the garden was a small hut. That was where Qiao Nian used to live. ¡°Were these all nted by Qiao Nian?¡± Qiao Xin looked at the flowers in disbelief. Yang Ze¡¯s eyes were filled with admiration. From the bottom of his heart, he truly respected Qiao Nian. He said, ¡°This piece ofnd used to be dry and barren. Miss Qiao came here every day to garden for the past five years. She¡¯s single-handedly turned this ce into one of the most beautiful areas here in our mental hospital.¡± Qiao Xin nodded and pointed at the hut. ¡°Did she usually live there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yang Ze brought Qiao Xin towards the wooden hut. When Qiao Xin walked to the hut, she saw that the door was locked. ¡°Unlock the door!¡± Qiao Xin was curious. What was in the hut? Yang Ze looked troubled. He stammered, ¡°We don¡¯t have the key.¡± Qiao Xin¡¯s expression darkened and she clenched her fists involuntarily. Her nails dug into her palms, but she didn¡¯t feel any pain. How was it that Qiao Nian could enjoy life wherever she went? ¡°This is a mental hospital. How can you let a patient do whatever she wants? Don¡¯t you know that these gardening tools can pose a danger to her life?¡± Qiao Xin questioned, forcibly suppressing her rage as she turned to look at Yang Ze. ¡°Our biggest investor has already approved of Miss Qiao gardening here,¡± Yang Ze exined. ¡°Investor? Isn¡¯t our Qiao family the biggest investor here?¡± Qiao Xin looked at Yang Ze in surprise. Because the Qiao family was the biggest investor in this mental hospital, Su Xue had faced no trouble in sending Qiao Nian here five years ago. ¡°Two weeks after Miss Qiao entered, someone else has be the biggest investor in our hospital,¡± Yang Ze said with a serious expression. ¡°Who is it now?¡± Qiao Xin asked curiously, frowning. ¡°Mr. Fang.¡± Qiao Xin¡¯s frown deepened. If she wasn¡¯t wrong, Mr. Fang was a hacker. Very few people had heard of Mr. Fang. It was rumored that Mr. Fang was extremely rich. If Mr. Fang was so rich, why would he invest in a mental hospital? What made Qiao Xin unhappy was that she had thought that Qiao Nian would lead a life worse than death here. She had never expected Qiao Nian to lead such a pleasant life here, as if she were a member of a high profession who had chosen to live in solitude, away from society. Could it be that Qiao Nian and Mr. Fang had an improper rtionship? Was that why she received Mr. Fang¡¯s favor and special treatment? However, Qiao Xin quickly dismissed the thought. Mr. Fang was a member of the high society. Perhaps he had simply taken Qiao Nian to be a gardener here. Indeed, Qiao Nian had always been a country bumpkin. After all, she had grown up in the countryside. Apart from gardening, she knew nothing else. At this thought, Qiao Xin felt much better. Perhaps Mr. Fang had let Qiao Nian be the principal of An University on ount of how well the garden had been taken care of. It seemed that Mr. Fang was very capable. Qiao Xin thought that if she could meet Mr. Fang, she would have to be on good terms with him. Perhaps if she managed to get Mr. Fang into a good mood, he would let her be the principal instead. At this moment, a pickup truck drove over and two nurses alighted. Qiao Xin watched as the two nurses began to move the nts into the truck. Could it be that Mr. Fang had instructed them to move the nts? Chapter 102 - 102 Stunned ?102: Stunned 102: Stunned Editor: As Studios With this thought in mind, Qiao Xin stepped forward and gave a gentle smile, asking politely, ¡°Excuse me, sisters, where are you moving these nts to?¡± ¡°The Gu family¡¯s vi.¡± The smile on Qiao Xin¡¯s face froze. The Gu family¡¯s vi. Wasn¡¯t that where Qiao Nian lived? Did Qiao Nian ask these people to move the nts? ¡°Are you moving all of these over?¡± Qiao Xin asked with a smile. ¡°Just these few.¡± Qiao Xin¡¯s gaze swept across the garden. These nts should belong to Mr. Fang. Qiao Nian definitely wouldn¡¯t dare to move all of them away. However, why was Qiao Nian taking away some of the nts? Could there be a secret hidden in these nts? At this moment, the nurses got into the van and prepared to leave. Qiao Xin stepped forward quickly and smiled at one of the nurses. ¡°Sister, please wait.¡± The two young nurses looked at Qiao Xin in surprise. Qiao Xin gave a sweet smile and said, ¡°Sisters, my name is Qiao Xin. A while back, my sister said that she would give me a potted nt. I came here today to pick one. I¡¯ll bring it home tonight myself, in case my sister asks someone else to send one over again.¡± The two nurses looked at Qiao Xin warily. Their gazes finallynded on Yang Ze¡¯s face, as if questioning if that was the case. Yang Ze nodded and introduced, ¡°This is the Qiao family¡¯s Second Young Mistress.¡± The two nurses were instantly enlightened, and fawning smiles appeared on their faces. One of the nurses said, ¡°In that case, Second Young Mistress Qiao, please choose any pot you want!¡± Qiao Xin smiled and thanked them. She walked to the truck and took a few nces, then selected one of the nts at random. She thanked them again and left. Although Qiao Xin didn¡¯t recognize this pot of greenery, she had a strange feeling that this nt was very important. After Qiao Xin drove home, she moved the pot into the house. When she ced the green nt on the table in the courtyard, panting heavily, she finally realized that she had really moved a potted nt home herself. She must be out of her mind. Otherwise, why would she move a random pot home? Su Xue came out of the house and saw Qiao Xin standing next to a potted nt, panting heavily. She said, ¡°You¡¯re the Young Mistress of the Qiao family. Moving potted nts is such a simple matter; why not ask someone to do it for you? Why would you need to do it yourself? Oh dear¡­ this is¡­¡± Before Su Xue could finish her sentence, she froze, staring at the green nt in disbelief. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Qiao Xin asked casually, panting heavily. ¡°Daughter, tell me, where did you get this nt?¡± Su Xue¡¯s voice was trembling with excitement. She stepped forward quickly and grasped Qiao Xin¡¯s dirty hand. Qiao Xin looked at Su Xue in surprise. Su Xue had always liked to be clean. ¡°Mom, my hands are still dirty.¡± ¡°My dear daughter, tell me!¡± Su Xue looked at Qiao Xin excitedly. Qiao Xin¡¯s gaze fell on the pot of greenery. Puzzled, she asked, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let me tell you, this is an extremely rare specimen of Suranne Grass. It¡¯s hard toe by even in a hundred years!¡± As Su Xue said this, she was practically jumping in excitement. Qiao Xin gasped in shock. Stunned, she stood frozen to the spot. Suranne Grass. Although Qiao Xin wasn¡¯t a medical student, she still knew a little about top-grade herbs. Three years ago, a mysterious buyer had bought a stalk of Suranne Grass for fifty million dors. Now that three years had passed, it was rumored that the price of Suranne Grass had already increased by more than 30 times. Qiao Nian, this country bumpkin, could actually cultivate Suranne Grass? How was this possible? Yes, this had to be impossible! Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t have known that this was Suranne Grass. ¡°Mom, are you sure? Actually, this is just an ordinary nt. Perhaps it just looks like Suranne Grass!¡± Qiao Xin said, frowning. ¡°Daughter, have you forgotten? I studied Chinese medicine in the past. How could I be mistaken about this medicinal herb?¡± Qiao Shan, who had juste out of the house, heard everything Su Xue and Qiao Xin said. Qiao Shan quickly walked over and said excitedly, ¡°Honey, are you sure that this is Suranne Grass?¡± ¡°I swear, this is definitely Suranne Grass!¡± Without hesitation, Su Xue raised three fingers and swore. After that, she looked anxiously at Qiao Xin. ¡°Where exactly did this Suranne Grasse from?¡± Qiao Xin felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She was utterly stunned. She had never expected this to truly be a priceless pot of Suranne Grass. Chapter 103 - 103 Were Rich! ?103: We¡¯re Rich! 103: We¡¯re Rich! Editor: As Studios At the incessant urging of Qiao Shan and Su Xue, Qiao Xin told them all about her trip to the mental hospital. This time, it was Qiao Shan and Su Xue¡¯s turn to be dumbfounded. ¡°Is that really true?¡± Su Xue asked hesitantly. Qiao Xin nodded and said, ¡°Mom, why would I lie to you? There¡¯s still a lot of greenery in the courtyard where Qiao Nian lived! Mom, tell me, how would Qiao Nian know how to cultivate Suranne Grass?¡± Qiao Shan sat on a stone stool nearby and said thoughtfully, ¡°Are you sure it was Qiao Nian who nted it?¡± Qiao Xin nodded. ¡°Qiao Nian¡¯s attending doctor said so.¡± ¡°Then, this matter will be easier to handle.¡± The corner of Qiao Shan¡¯s lips raised as a peculiar light flickered in his eyes. Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Shan in confusion, not understanding what Qiao Shan meant. ¡°Dad, what are you saying?¡± Seeing Qiao Xin like this, Su Xue couldn¡¯t help but exin with a smile, ¡°Silly child, you don¡¯t understand. She¡¯s your sister, and she¡¯s a member of the Qiao family. The things she owns will naturally belong to the Qiao family.¡± Qiao Xin looked at Su Xue in surprise and said doubtfully, ¡°Mom, are we going to be rich?¡± Su Xue gave Qiao Xin an affirmative look. Qiao Xin couldn¡¯t help but smile. She said triumphantly, ¡°That¡¯s great! Then I can buy what I like!¡± Su Xue¡¯s smile grew a touch more reckless. ¡°Our Qiao family has never been very high up on the socialdder. Since Qiao Nian is so capable, then our family will no longer be afraid of being bullied!¡± Qiao Shan nodded. At this moment, he suddenly felt that Qiao Nian was quite pleasing to the eye. ¡°Little Xin, do you remember how many pots of Suranne Grass there were in the mental hospital?¡± Qiao Xin thought for a while, then said, ¡°At the mental hospital, the nurses moved about seven or eight pots away. There were still many potted nts in the courtyard. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s any left.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that she cultivated a lot of greenery?¡± Qiao Shan asked eagerly. ¡°Yes, about 200 square meters¡¯ worth, but I didn¡¯t recognize any of those nts,¡± Qiao Xin said. Qiao Shan turned to look at Su Xue and said, ¡°Hurry up and go to the hospital to take a look. She might have nted many expensive medicinal herbs. Move them all home!¡± Su Xue nodded. Qiao Xin, who was standing at the side, said approvingly, ¡°Father, you have to get back the Suranne Grass that Qiao Nian moved to the Gu residence. That¡¯s the treasure of our Qiao family. How can you let Gu Zhou have it so easily?¡± Qiao Shan nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s right. That belongs to our Qiao family. This traitorous wretch is truly too shameless!¡± Suddenly, there was the sound of pping. The few of them looked over and saw Qiao Nian standing not far away. ¡°Marvelous. Truly amazing!¡± Qiao Nian looked at the three of them with a sarcastic expression. This was the first time she had seen anyone with such thick skin. She was so disgusted that she felt like vomiting. Seeing Qiao Nian walk over, Su Xue subconsciously stood in front of the pot of Suranne Grass, blocking Qiao Nian¡¯s line of sight. Qiao Xin clenched her fists nervously and looked at Qiao Nian, her expression wary. Now that Qiao Nian was the principal of An University, if she wanted to graduate sessfully, she would have to get Qiao Nian¡¯s approval. Hence, she had no choice but to tuck her tail between her legs. Qiao Shan remained calm andposed. Sitting on the spot, he put on the airs of the head of the family. ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯re back. This is good timing. I have something to tell you!¡± ¡°Sure, but you have to return the Suranne Grass to me first!¡± Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t even be bothered to greet Qiao Shan as her ¡°father¡±. Her voice was cold. When Su Xue heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, she immediately jumped out and said impatiently, ¡°What are you saying? The Suranne Grass belongs to the Qiao family. How dare you mention it now? If you get your hands on anything good, shouldn¡¯t you know to bring it home?¡± ¡°Why would I be embarrassed to mention it?¡± Qiao Nian raised her eyebrows and her gaze fell on Qiao Xin, who was standing next to Su Xue. ¡°Qiao Xin is a thief. She stole my things. Why can¡¯t I mention it?¡± Qiao Nian simply couldn¡¯t understand what the three of them were thinking. Qiao Xin had been born after Su Xue had spent ten agonizing months pregnant. Now, ording to Qiao Nian, Qiao Xin was a thief. Su Xue rebuked angrily, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Qiao Xin just went to the hospital to take back some things of the family. How can you say that she stole anything of yours?¡± Chapter 104 - 104 Bastard ?104: Bastard 104: Bastard Editor: As Studios The atmosphere grew more and more awkward. Qiao Xin stood up shakily, mustering her courage to look at Qiao Nian. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re back. Would you like to have a meal at home before you leave?¡± Qiao Nian simply couldn¡¯t bear to stay in the Qiao family home any longer. Her entire body was now radiating a frigid aura. Ignoring Qiao Xin¡¯s words, she snapped, ¡°Give me back the Suranne Grass!¡± Su Xue sensed the coldness radiating from Qiao Nian. For a moment, she was a little dazed. She felt that Qiao Nian was changing more and more. She was no longer the obedient Qiao Nian she used to be. She was indeed a bastard child. This willful girl would never mature, not even after a lifetime of raising her. A trace of coldness shed in Su Xue¡¯s eyes. Qiao Shan had also sensed the change in Qiao Nian. Casually, he mmed the teacup onto the ground and red at Qiao Nian. He raged, ¡°What are you talking about? How dare you speak to your mother and sister like that?! Do you want me to send you back to the mental hospital? Maybe then you¡¯ll learn how to speak properly to your family!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze moved from Su Xue¡¯s face to Qiao Shan¡¯s. She snorted and questioned, ¡°In that case, how do you think I should speak to a thief?¡± ¡°Shut up! You wretch! If we didn¡¯t have your best interests in mind for your marriage, and arranged for you to marry into the Gu family, you would still be stuck in the mental hospital!¡± Qiao Shan¡¯s heart ached at the mention of the Gu family. If he had known that Gu Zhou was good-looking, and that he was healthy and had a bright future, he would have asked Qiao Xin to marry into the Gu family. ¡°Since the moment you got home, you¡¯ve been talking about nothing but ¡®stealing¡¯. How does your family owe you anything?¡± Before Qiao Nian could speak, Qiao Shan continued, ¡°If your sister didn¡¯t go to the mental hospital, we wouldn¡¯t have known that you were nning to move all the Qiao family¡¯s assets out!¡± Qiao Nian: ¡°?¡± Qiao Nian had never seen such brazen people in her life. This had truly broadened her horizons. But Qiao Shan himself did not think that there was anything wrong with his words. With a cold expression, hemanded, ¡°I order you to move all of the Suranne Grass in the Gu family home back to our house. As for the green nts in the hospital, move them all back to the Qiao family home as well!¡± ¡°Are you dreaming?¡± Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. Qiao Shan could hear the disdain in Qiao Nian¡¯s words. He said angrily, ¡°What are youughing at? Hurry up and move these things back!¡± Qiao Nian stood there smiling, her gaze fixed on Qiao Shan, as if she was looking at a performing clown. Qiao Shan could clearly see the disgust in Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. He stood up angrily. ¡°Do you not understand the Englishnguage? Do you think I¡¯m spouting nonsense?¡± Seeing that Qiao Shan had gotten himself worked up, Su Xue red daggers at Qiao Nian. ¡°Apologize to your father now!¡± Qiao Xin was secretly overjoyed, but she pretended to be as pious and innocent as a white lotus. ¡°Sister, do listen to Dad. His heart isn¡¯t well. Don¡¯t make him angry! Hurry up and bring the Suranne Grass back!¡± Qiao Nianpletely ignored Su Xue and Qiao Xin¡¯s words. Staring directly at Qiao Shan, she mocked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you indeed spouting nonsense?¡± Su Xue looked at Qiao Nian in astonishment. She hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to say something so outrageous. Qiao Shan was so irate that he choked, falling into a coughing fit. Su Xue hurriedly patted Qiao Shan¡¯s back, attempting to relieve his coughing fit. Her gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face and she said in the tone of an old fogy, ¡°Qiao Nian, don¡¯t anger your father. Hurry up and move the Suranne Grass back home. Let¡¯s forget about what happened today!¡± ¡°Wretch! You wretch!¡± Seeing how unruffled and uncaring Qiao Nian looked, Qiao Shan couldn¡¯t help but rage at her. ¡°Can you use another insult? I¡¯m sick of hearing that!¡± Qiao Nian sneered, speaking unhurriedly. ¡°You¡­ You have no respect for your elders!¡± The moment Qiao Shan thought of the priceless Suranne Grass, his anger exploded. ¡°You traitorous wretch! Without a word, you just moved everything belonging to our family to the Gu family home!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Qiao Nian raised an eyebrow. There was only coldness in her eyes as her red lips opened slightly. ¡°You never gave me a chance to speak. After you threw me into the mental hospital, did you even bother to visit?¡± At this moment, both Qiao Shan and Su Xue looked extremely displeased. At that time, Qiao Shan felt that Qiao Nian was already useless as a chess piece. Thus, he didn¡¯t think of visiting her. If he had known that Qiao Nian had the ability to cultivate Suranne Grass, he would have brought her back home a long time ago. Chapter 105 - 105 Playing The Family Card ?105: ying The Family Card? 105: ying The Family Card? Editor: As Studios ¡°I spent so much effort cultivating the Suranne Grass myself. How has it suddenly be the property of the Qiao family?¡± Su Xue knew very well that Qiao Nian was displeased with the Qiao family. Putting on a polite demeanor, she said, ¡°Qiao Nian, what happened back then was our fault, but at that time, your father and I were both busy with thepany. The reason we didn¡¯t visit you was to cover up the fact that you were once pregnant and had a child. Everything was for your marriage. If others knew that you were pregnant and even gave birth to a child, they might look at you differently.¡± Seeing that Qiao Nian was silent, Su Xue thought that Qiao Nian had been swayed by her words. She continued, ¡°Back then, if news of what happened to you got out, you wouldn¡¯t be able to marry anyone for the rest of your life. Qiao Nian, we¡¯re family, after all. Your father also has you in his heart. He dotes on you a lot. Often, because of you, he secretly wipes his tears at night.¡± Qiao Nian stood there expressionlessly. She looked toward Su Xue and asked curiously, ¡°Then, can I take everything the Qiao family owns, and chase you out of the family home? Didn¡¯t you say that we¡¯re family? What¡¯s yours is mine.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Su Xue¡¯s face turned red with anger. ¡°Were you lying to me just now?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Su Xue. She wanted to see what other preposterous lies this woman could make up. ¡°How¡­ How is that the same? We are your elders!¡± Su Xue stammered. ¡°Elders? For my sake, you sent me to a mental hospital?¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s expression was cold, her voice even colder. ¡°If the same thing happened to any other child of a rich family, the parents would just send their child overseas to study. But why was I sent to a mental hospital? When I was alone in the mental hospital with no one to rely on, what were you doing? Why didn¡¯t you say that you were my elders back then?¡± Qiao Xin immediately said gently, ¡°Sister, it¡¯s a blessing in disguise. If Mom and Dad didn¡¯t send you to the mental hospital, how could you have settled down to cultivate Suranne Grass?¡± Qiao Nian smiled. There was anger in her eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t I send you to a mental hospital for five years? Will that do?¡± Qiao Xin turned pale in fright. She lowered her head, not daring to say another word. Su Xue¡¯s eyes darted to the side and she hurriedly said, ¡°Qiao Nian, your sister is right. You don¡¯t have to thank us for sending you to the mental hospital, though that was why you were able to cultivate Suranne Grass. How about this? As long as you bring back all the remaining Suranne Grass, that will do. Write down the method to cultivate Suranne Grass, and we won¡¯t make a fuss about it with you!¡± Qiao Nian red at Su Xue coldly. Su Xue was clearly asking for too much. She gritted her teeth and spat out three words. ¡°In your dreams!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Su Xue looked at Qiao Nian in confusion. She felt that what she said made sense. She already had Qiao Nian¡¯s interests in mind. ¡°As long as you hand over the Suranne Grass and write down the method to cultivate it, you will be the greatest contributor to our family. Your father and I will prepare a richer dowry for you!¡± Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t be bothered to reason with these idiots. She enunciated each word clearly as she spoke. ¡°I spent many years of effort nurturing the Suranne Grass. This belongs only to me. It has nothing to do with your Qiao family! ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, hand over the Suranne Grass immediately. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being impolite!¡± Qiao Nian continued, forcibly suppressing her anger. Qiao Xin looked at Suranne Grass reluctantly. It was such a valuable item. Of course she couldn¡¯t bear to return it. Previously, after Qiao Nian had made a name for herself in An University, Brother Su Yan was longer paying Qiao Xin any attention. If she gave the Suranne Grass to Su Yan, he would definitely think highly of her and reconcile with her. Qiao Xin looked imploringly at Su Xue, signaling for her to keep the Suranne Grass. Su Xue instantly understood what Qiao Xin meant. She looked at Qiao Nian and said helplessly, ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯re the elder sister. How can you fight with your younger sister over a pot of Suranne Grass? Can¡¯t you give in to her a little?¡± Qiao Nian hated it when Su Xue yed the family card. The Qiao family might not be good at anything else, but they were good at moral abduction. Qiao Nian said impatiently, ¡°Enough nonsense. Are you returning it or not?¡± ¡°Not!¡± Su Xue said, her expression dark. Qiao Nian had never spoken to her in such a tone before she went to the mental hospital. Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Is that so?¡± Qiao Shan also felt that Qiao Nian had gone too far. Haughtily, he said, ¡°Hurry up and bring back all the Suranne Grass that you¡¯ve taken to the Gu residence. Then, I won¡¯t pursue the fact that you talked back to your elders today!¡± Qiao Nian clenched her fists tightly. Chapter 106 - 106 Scheming ?106: Scheming 106: Scheming Editor: As Studios Qiao Shan also felt that Qiao Nian had gone too far. Haughtily, he said, ¡°Hurry up and bring back all the Suranne Grass that you¡¯ve taken to the Gu residence. Then, I won¡¯t pursue the fact that you talked back to your elders today!¡± Qiao Nian clenched her fists tightly. Ha! Pursuing the matter. What a great turn of phrase! Qiao Nian had never expected Qiao Shan to brazenly shield Qiao Xin, the thief, just for a pot of Suranne Grass. Qiao Nian was even starting to doubt whether she was Qiao Shan and Su Xue¡¯s biological daughter. Why did their attitudes towards their two daughters differ so much? Qiao Nian put away her thoughts and looked coldly at Qiao Xin, her lips curving up slightly as she said, ¡°Qiao Xin, since you don¡¯t want to return the Suranne Grass, then I won¡¯t want it either. But you have to think this through carefully. Whether you can afford to keep this pot of Suranne Grass around is a matter you evidently haven¡¯t considered. When the timees, I hope you won¡¯t kneel down and beg me to ept it!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes shed with ice. Qiao Xin stood behind Su Xue. She hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to change her mind. However, Qiao Xin soon understood. Qiao Nian had grown up in the countryside and had always wanted to return to the Qiao family. For the sake of the Suranne Grass, her father had been kind to Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian must have been so touched that she wanted to cry. Qiao Xin smiled and said gently, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t worry. I will take good care of this pot of Suranne Grass.¡± After receiving Qiao Xin¡¯s answer, Qiao Nian left without turning back, leaving the Qiao family in a state of confusion. Qiao Xin heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Qiao Nian had relented. Qiao Shan looked at Qiao Nian¡¯s retreating back and frowned. He said worriedly, ¡°She clearly cared a lot about this pot of Suranne Grass. Why did she suddenly change her mind?¡± The more Qiao Shan thought about it, the more worried he became. He was afraid that Qiao Nian would use the Gu family¡¯s connections to force them to send the Suranne Grass back. Qiao Xin¡¯s mind was filled with thoughts of gifting this pot of Suranne Grass to Su Yan. That way, the two of them could reconcile. Thus, Qiao Xin said disapprovingly, ¡°You¡¯re over-thinking. Qiao Nian cultivated the Suranne Grass behind our backs. She probably felt that she was in the wrong and wanted to use this pot of Suranne Grass to please Dad.¡± When Qiao Shan heard Qiao Xin¡¯s words, his frown grew deeper. He had a nagging feeling that things weren¡¯t as simple as they seemed. Qiao Xin quickly walked to Qiao Shan¡¯s side and tugged on Qiao Shan¡¯s sleeve like a spoiled child, saying ingratiatingly, ¡°Alright, Dad, stop letting your imagination run wild. Can you give me this pot of Suranne Grass?¡± Qiao Shan was initially worrying over whether Qiao Nian would have other tricks up her sleeve. When he heard Qiao Xin¡¯s words, worry was written all over his face. Puzzled, he asked, ¡°Why do you want the Suranne Grass?¡± Hence, Qiao Xin told Qiao Shan and Su Xue her ns to firmly secure her rtionship with Su Yan. Qiao Shan and Su Xue had initially wanted to use the Suranne Grass to bring the Gu family to greater heights, but those things didn¡¯t seem to be as important as Qiao Xin¡¯s lifelong happiness, so the two of them nodded and gave the Suranne Grass to Qiao Xin. When Qiao Nian stepped out of the Qiao family¡¯s residence, she was shrouded in a cold aura. She took out her cell phone and sent a text: [Pay close attention to every move the Qiao family makes. Report to me if anything happens.] [Yes.] Qiao Nian put her phone back into her bag and walked to her car. She opened the door and got in. She had to find a way to get the Qiao family to send the Suranne Grass back. Moreover, she would ensure that they would never dare to have any designs on her medicinal herbs ever again. When Qiao Nian arrived at the Gu family vi, she saw a pickup truck parked outside. Lin Tao got out of the pickup truck. When she saw Qiao Nian, she quickly ran over and gave her a big hug. ¡°Nian Nian.¡± Qiao Nian was beaming as she reached out to hug Lin Tao. After letting go of Lin Tao, she asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t there an exam today? Why did youe here personally?¡± ¡°The examinations aren¡¯t difficult. I can take them quite easily. However, these medicinal herbs are simply priceless. If I lose one of them, my father will probably die from heartache. I¡¯ll only feel at ease if I see them for myself.¡± Lin Tao smiled at Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian thought of what happened to her Suranne Grass and asked, ¡°Did you tell your father how many stalks of Suranne Grass I¡¯ve grown?¡± ¡°Not yet. Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to give him a surprise? That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± At this point, Lin Tao couldn¡¯t help but sigh and say, ¡°I wonder who has the guts to steal Suranne Grass! If I catch this person, I¡¯ll definitely send her to jail!¡± Chapter 107 - 107 Taking the Initiative to Take a Medicinal Bath ?107: Taking the Initiative to Take a Medicinal Bath 107: Taking the Initiative to Take a Medicinal Bath Editor: As Studios A trace of cunning shed in Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. She nodded and said, ¡°There¡¯s a small surprise!¡± ¡°What surprise?¡± Lin Tao asked eagerly. ¡°If I tell you, it won¡¯t be a surprise anymore!¡± Qiao Nian said with a smile. Lin Tao nodded regretfully. She handed a couple of bags to Qiao Nian. ¡°These are the Moonlight Fruits you wanted.¡± ¡°Thank you for making the trip!¡± Qiao Nian said sincerely. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me given our rtionship. By the way, how are you doing in the Gu family? If you¡¯re not being treated well, I¡¯ll protect you! I¡¯ll make sure that no one in the Gu family dares to bully you!¡± As Lin Tao spoke, she patted her chest, looking as if she was unafraid of anything, even if it meant going through hell for her good friend. ¡°Little girl, you¡¯re only twenty years old this year. You should call me Elder Sis!¡± As Qiao Nian spoke, she pinched Lin Tao¡¯s nose dotingly. Lin Tao coughed. Seeing that no one was looking over, she said in a low voice, ¡°There are outsiders here. Give me some face!¡± ¡°Okay, okay. You¡¯re not young anymore. You¡¯re an adult now.¡± Qiao Nian went along with Lin Tao¡¯s words. Lin Tao instructed the people in the pickup truck to unload all the medicinal herbs. After she was done, she said to Qiao Nian, ¡°Nian Nian, I have to leave. I have to go back and help Dad take care of the opening of the hospital in the northern suburbs tomorrow. You have toe tomorrow!¡± As Lin Tao spoke, she stuffed an invitation into Qiao Nian¡¯s hand. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll definitely go tomorrow.¡± Smiling, Qiao Nian saw Lin Tao off. After that, Qiao Nian got the servants in the vi to move the medicinal herbs in. She was tending to the medicinal field when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around and saw Gu Zhou standing by the rockery in a well-tailored suit. Seeing Gu Zhou staring at her, Qiao Nian casually asked, ¡°Are you going out?¡± ¡°Doctor Qiao, isn¡¯t it time for the medicinal bath?¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s shirt was all buttoned up, and he was wearing a dark blue tie. He looked sultry, yet exuded a strong air of propriety. Qiao Nian¡¯s ears turned slightly red. This was the first time she had seen Gu Zhou so cooperative. She quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll go get the medicine bag!¡± Qiao Nian had just taken two steps when Gu Zhou stopped her again. She looked at Gu Zhou worriedly and asked in confusion, ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°No.¡± Qiao Nian frowned but didn¡¯t leave immediately. Walking up to Gu Zhou, she reached out to grab his hand. Gu Zhou lowered his head and watched Qiao Nian. Carefully, she unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt and rolled up his sleeve, resting her fingers on his wrist. The skin on her hand was a little warm. That delicate heat traveled through his blood to every part of his body, warming up his cold body. After taking Gu Zhou¡¯s pulse, Qiao Nian heaved a sigh of relief and said, ¡°You can use the same medicine bag we used previously to treat your current condition. Go back to your room and wait for me. I¡¯ll get the medicine!¡± After retrieving the medicine bag, Qiao Nian walked towards Gu Zhou¡¯s room. When she passed by Gu Zhou¡¯s office, she heard a scream. Qiao Nian frowned slightly. She opened the office door and saw Gu Zhou¡¯s snake coiled around a young girl¡¯s neck. There was a dangerous glint in its eyes. It was as if the snake was going to snap the girl¡¯s neck in the next moment. The girl screamed in despair. Qiao Nian didn¡¯t have time to think. She quickly ran forward and grabbed the snake, snatching it off the girl¡¯s neck. In pain, the snake bit Qiao Nian¡¯s wrist without hesitation. Qiao Nian¡¯s face contorted in agony. Carelessly, she tossed the snake away, revealing a ghastly bite mark on her pale wrist. The snake was in pain from the fall. Without hesitation, it pounced on Qiao Nian, but Qiao Nian grabbed the seven-inch snake before it could attack. Qiao Nian hurriedly took out a silver needle and pricked the snake, causing it to faint! The young girl in the office had already copsed to the ground in shock. She had never expected there to be a snake in this room! Chapter 108 - 108 Brother Gu Zhou ?108: Brother Gu Zhou 108: Brother Gu Zhou Editor: As Studios At this moment, footsteps came from the corridor. Qiao Nian turned around and saw Gu Zhou walking in. She met Gu Zhou¡¯s intriguing gaze. Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s arm, which was still bleeding. At this moment, the butler walked over. Gu Zhou said coldly, ¡°Lock it in the cage.¡± The snake seemed to realize that it had done something wrong. It sat there aggrievedly, unmoving. It allowed Butler Zhao to lock it up. Qiao Nian frowned. The girl, who had been too shocked, seemed to have only juste back to her senses. Weeping pitifully, she said in a weak voice, ¡°Brother Gu Zhou, I¡¯m so scared.¡± With that, the girl prepared to throw herself into Gu Zhou¡¯s arms. Gu Zhou frowned. Under his suffocatingly cold gaze, the girl stood rooted to the ground in fear. ¡°Brother Gu Zhou¡­¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s expression was abnormally dark. His eyes were ice-cold as he asked impatiently, ¡°Who are you? Why are you in my study?¡± The young girl looked at Gu Zhou in shock. She raised her hand to wipe her tears and said pitifully, ¡°Brother Gu Zhou, I¡¯m Wang Miao, Wang Lin¡¯s biological sister. We met at the hospital back then!¡± Qiao Nian was slightly stunned. Wang Lin¡­ This name sounded familiar. She seemed to have heard it before. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Wang Miao¡¯s face. Suddenly, the realization struck her. She remembered now. Wasn¡¯t Wang Lin a woman Su Xue had casually made up in order to help Qiao Xin get out of the situation? Did Wang Lin actually exist? Why would Gu Zhou ask Wang Lin¡¯s younger sister toe to the Gu residence? Qiao Nian stood rooted to the ground, studying Wang Miao intently. Could it be that Gu Zhou had taken a liking to Wang Miao? The next moment, Gu Zhou¡¯s words made Qiao Nian overturn her own thoughts. ¡°Who allowed you to enter my study?¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s expression was extremely dark. His entire body emitted a cold aura, causing one to shiver in fear. Wang Miao froze. She had not expected Gu Zhou to hate her, not when she was the aunt of Gu Zhou¡¯s child. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Get out! Without my permission, anyone who steps into the study will have to report to the king of the underworld!¡± Although Gu Zhou¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, it was frightening. Wang Miao was so frightened that she no longer dared to cry. She took two steps back, then hurried out. When Wang Miao walked to the study door, she seemed to remember something. She turned back to look at Gu Zhou and said softly, ¡°Thank you, Brother Gu Zhou, for saving me. Otherwise, I might have been bitten to death by that snake!¡± Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t help but think: Was this person mentally deficient? Gu Zhou¡¯s expression darkened further. He nced at Qiao Nian, then at Wang Miao. ¡°You should be thanking her. What has that got to do with me? There¡¯s no ce for anyone with bad eyesight in the Gu family.¡± Wang Miao froze. She didn¡¯t expect Gu Zhou to be so ruthless when speaking with her. She looked at Qiao Nian with teary eyes. That woman was naturally beautiful and gave off a noble and elegant aura. Even though her arm was injured, herposure waspletely unaffected. Wang Miao felt ashamed of herself. Compared to that woman, she was like a stray dog one found on the streets. Wang Miao lowered her head and said reluctantly, ¡°Thank you.¡± With that, Wang Miao walked out, wiping her tears. Wang Miao had thought that Brother Gu Zhou would take good care of her on ount of her older sister. After all, she was Little Qi¡¯s aunt, and she was a rtive of the Gu family. How could Brother Gu Zhou treat her like this? Her sister had lost her life because of him. The more Wang Miao thought about it, the more awful she felt. She couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears. Chapter 109 - 109 Its Yours Now ?109: It¡¯s Yours Now 109: It¡¯s Yours Now Editor: As Studios In truth, Wang Miao had not gone far. Her sobs could be heard from within the study. Gu Zhou¡¯s expression turned ugly. He frowned in displeasure, a wave of irritation washing over him. Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze fell on the snake and he said impatiently, ¡°Well, hurry up! Aren¡¯t you going to lock it up in the punishment room?¡± Hearing this, the butler picked up the cage and prepared to leave the room. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Qiao Nian stepped closer to the cage and looked at the snake, which was curled up in an aggrieved ball. ¡°Actually, it didn¡¯t do anything wrong. It was just guarding your study.¡± Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian with aplicated expression. His gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s injured arm and he said very seriously, ¡°But it bit you.¡± The man¡¯s voice was as deep as ever. There was no emotion in his voice. Qiao Nian nced at the bite mark on her arm and said, ¡°The wound on my arm isn¡¯t too bad. Once the bleeding has stopped, I¡¯ll apply some medicine, then I¡¯ll be perfectly fine. We can¡¯t punish it just because of an outsider¡¯s mistake!¡± Gu Zhou gazed intently at Qiao Nian, his eyebrow slightly raised. ¡°So Mrs. Gu thinks that I¡¯m not an outsider? Am I a part of the family?¡± Qiao Nian was speechless. Qiao Nian had not expected Gu Zhou to joke around with her. However, hearing Gu Zhou call her Mrs. Gu caught her off guard, and she was momentarily flustered. The butler, who was standing at the side, had never expected such flirtatious words to fall from Gu Zhou¡¯s lips. At this moment, the butler felt like the biggest third wheel in existence. It was no longer suitable for him to remain, so he quietly left the room. Qiao Nian gazed unblinkingly at Gu Zhou. She met his dark, glittering eyes and pursed her lips, her throat working slightly. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the snake and Wang Miao. This snake is closest to you.¡± Gu Zhou stared unblinkingly back at Qiao Nian. His gaze fell on her fair and slender neck, and he noticed the movement of her throat. Her cheeks were just a little flushed, and the tips of her ears were also tinted red. For some reason, she gave off an air of delicacy. Gu Zhou¡¯s mouth was a little dry, but he quickly recovered his usual impassiveness. His thin lips parted slightly. ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t hurt you anymore, I¡¯ll let it off the hook.¡± Qiao Nian smiled and looked down at the snake in the cage. The snake was looking at her too. Although the snake had bitten her, she felt that it was the victim this time round. If the snake had bitten her like it did thest time, she would have boiled the snake alive for its medicinal properties. Most importantly, Qiao Nian could tell that Gu Zhou cared about the snake a lot. At the thought, Qiao Nian opened the cage and reached in. Gu Zhou¡¯s usually serene eyes instantly narrowed. He looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief, his heart involuntarily rising to his throat. ¡°Qiao Nian, what are you doing?¡± The snake kept flicking out its tongue, staring unblinkingly at Qiao Nian¡¯s arm. In truth, Qiao Nian was also very nervous. Her gaze fell on the snake¡¯s teeth, which were exposed from time to time. With extreme effort, she put on a calm facade. The temperature in the room dropped. Qiao Nian ced her hand carefully on the snake¡¯s head, caressing it over and over again, as if she were soothing its injured feelings. Perhaps it was because Qiao Nian¡¯s touch was very gentle. The snake didn¡¯t seem to sense any aggression. Instead, ity obediently on the bottom of the cage, letting Qiao Nian stroke it. Gu Zhou looked at this scene in disbelief. He didn¡¯t expect this snake to turn into an obedient and cute kitten under Qiao Nian¡¯s touch. When Qiao Nian retracted her hand, the snake wound itself around her wrist happily. Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t help but smile. She looked up at Gu Zhou and said proudly, ¡°Look, it won¡¯t hurt me anymore, so you don¡¯t have to lock it up anymore.¡± Seeing Qiao Nian¡¯s proud expression, the ice in Gu Zhou¡¯s heart seemed to melt. Qiao Nian¡¯s smile now was probably the most natural smile she had worn since she arrived at the Gu residence. She looked like an innocent child. ¡°From now on, it¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Qiao Nian was slightly stunned. She looked at Gu Zhou in confusion. Gu Zhou found himself speechless. What was he saying? Was there something wrong with his brain? Other than his grandmother, this snake was the only female who was close to him. Chapter 110 - 110 Bandaging the Wound ?110: Bandaging the Wound 110: Bandaging the Wound Editor: As Studios However, since he had already spoken, Gu Zhou couldn¡¯t go back on his words. He nodded, giving a faint murmur of assent. Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou, overjoyed. She quickly said, ¡°Thank you!¡± In her excitement, Qiao Nian reached out to pet the snake a little too forcefully. Forgetting that she was injured, she identally bumped against the cage with her arm, right where she had been bitten. She inhaled sharply in pain, going pale in an instant. Looking at Qiao Nian¡¯s wound, the snake lowered its head pitifully and rubbed gently against her arm. Tugging on Qiao Nian¡¯s uninjured arm, Gu Zhou walked towards the door. Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou¡¯s side profile in confusion. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°To bandage your wound.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s voice was as pleasant as ever, but beneath his wordsy an undercurrent of overbearing strength. It would not be easy to disobey anything that voicemanded. There was a sh of surprise in Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. Without struggling, she let Gu Zhou drag her to the bedroom. Sunlight filtered through the window, illuminating the entire bedroom. ¡°Sit down on the sofa first.¡± Gu Zhou looked at the sofa not far away. He turned to Qiao Nian and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get the medical kit.¡± Only then did Qiao Nian remember something. Hurriedly, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t help me bandage my wound first. Take the medicinal bath first. I¡¯ll bandage my wound after I¡¯ve helped you with the acupuncture. Otherwise, the wound will still need to be bandaged again aftering into contact with water.¡± In the past, Gu Zhou would have hated anyone who spoke too much. But at this moment, Gu Zhou had a different impression. Qiao Nian¡¯s voice seemed to be able to prate one¡¯s heart. Her voice left its mark on his heart. This was something he had never felt before. Suddenly, Gu Zhou¡¯s breathing hitched. He felt as if someone had clutched at his chest, causing a sudden jolt of pain. Gu Zhou had never felt this strange before. Gu Zhou let go of Qiao Nian¡¯s hand. His handsome face was expressionless and his voice was several shades hoarser. ¡°Qiao Nian.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. This was the first time Gu Zhou had called her by her name in such a hoarse, arresting voice. Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian and said with a serious expression, ¡°Mrs. Gu, you¡¯re ady. If you¡¯re in pain, just shout. It won¡¯t be embarrassing!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes widened. She stared at Gu Zhou in disbelief. She hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zhou tofort her in such a manner. At this moment, Qiao Nian¡¯s heart was beating wildly. Before she could react, Gu Zhou had already poured sanitizing alcohol all over her wound. Without any warning, he attacked. Pain shot through her arm. Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t help but cry out in pain. In the next moment, Gu Zhou moved right up to her. Without hesitation, he bent down and sealed her lips with his. ¡°Mmph.¡± As their lips touched, Qiao Nian¡¯s cry was swallowed by Gu Zhou, leaving behind only a whimper. Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou in utter shock. She had not expected Gu Zhou to do this, and her mind wentpletely nk. Gu Zhou had actually kissed her! His lips were slightly sweet, and the lingering scent of Chinese medicine was present. It was intoxicating. What was she thinking? How could she be thinking about whether Gu Zhou¡¯s lips were sweet? He had kissed her! Qiao Nian came back to her senses in an instant. She pushed Gu Zhou away and looked at him warily. Qiao Nian¡¯s pale face was now slightly red. She frowned, her expression displeased. ¡°What are you doing!¡± Gu Zhou observed the mixture of embarrassment and anger in Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes, as well as her flustered air. A trace of amusement shed in his eyes, but his expression and demeanor remained cold. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± For some reason, Qiao Nian¡¯s heart began to race. Hearing Gu Zhou¡¯s words, a trace of confusion shed across her face, but she quickly came back to her senses. Gu Zhou was probably using this method to distract her. Qiao Nian asked with a serious expression, ¡°Are you using this method to distract me so that I don¡¯t feel any pain?¡± ¡°What else?¡± Gu Zhou pulled Qiao Nian¡¯s arm over and began bandaging her wound. ¡°Thetest research shows that kissing can relieve pain.¡± Qiao Nian was speechless. Chapter 111 - 111 Kiss ?111: Kiss 111: Kiss Editor: As Studios Gu Zhou was now exuding a chilling aura, as if the person he had just kissed wasn¡¯t her. If they were in aic book, a line of crows would have been flying over Qiao Nian¡¯s head1. She frowned. Didn¡¯t Gu Zhou have a phobia of women? Yet, it didn¡¯t seem like he had any such phobia after all! Gu Zhou had already finished bandaging Qiao Nian¡¯s wound. He stood up with an indifferent expression and ced the medical kit back in the cupboard. ¡°Gu Zhou!¡± Qiao Nian called out sharply. Gu Zhou turned to look at Qiao Nian, who was still sitting on the sofa. He raised his eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You actually kissed me!¡± Qiao Nian said in frustration, her eyes a little red. ¡°And?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou, dissatisfied. She really hadn¡¯t expected kissing to be such a casual affair in Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you expecting thanks?¡± Qiao Nian said through gritted teeth. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Qiao Nian had never expected Gu Zhou to ept her thanks so shamelessly. Furious, she began breathing heavily. If only she could punch Gu Zhou right this instant! This was the first time Gu Zhou had seen Qiao Nian in a rage. She no longer looked as sharp and cold as she usually did. Instead, she looked a touch more innocent and adorable. He thought for a while and said, ¡°If you think you¡¯ve gotten the short end of the stick, why don¡¯t you kiss me back?¡± Qiao Nian was speechless with shock and rage. She exhaled a long breath, trying hard to suppress the anger in her heart. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that! Take off your clothes and go for your medicinal bath!¡± Gu Zhou didn¡¯t say anything else either. He followed Qiao Nian¡¯smands obediently. Qiao Nian wrapped her bandaged wound in stic wrap and performed acupuncture on Gu Zhou as he took the bath. When she was done with that, it was time for her to give Gu Zhou a massage. This time, Qiao Nian used a lot of force during the massage. She had thought that Gu Zhou would be in so much pain that he wouldn¡¯t be able to take it. She didn¡¯t expect Gu Zhou to have no reaction for the entirety of the massage. Qiao Nian felt as if she was punching a ball of cotton wool. She simply couldn¡¯t be bothered with Gu Zhou any longer. Standing up, she turned and left. Gu Zhou sat alone in the bathtub. Looking at the closed bathroom door, his throat worked slightly. His slender hand touched his lips lightly, and he recalled how Qiao Nian¡¯s lips had felt on his. Her lips were soft, and even carried a faint sweetness. This feeling was actually identical to the impression that the girl from five years ago had left on him. Could it be that everyone¡¯s lips tasted like this? Or was it just Qiao Nian¡¯s lips? Gu Zhou¡¯s mouth was a little dry. As he licked his lips, his eyes turned a shade darker. After rinsing himself off in the shower, Gu Zhou stepped out of the bathroom. Immediately, he heard his phone ring from the bedside table. He walked over to pick up the phone. After a while, he said gravely, ¡°Alright. Please let Mr. Lin know that I¡¯ll be there on time tomorrow!¡± The next morning. Many well-known figures of An City made their appearance at the opening of the newest research branch under the Lin family name. Qiao Nian arrived early in the morning. Lin Tao was initially greeting guests, but when she saw Qiao Nian, she hurriedly ran up to her and said happily, ¡°You¡¯ve finally arrived! I¡¯ve waited for so long! Why are you sote?¡± Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t help butugh. She gently swiped at Lin Tao¡¯s nose and said, ¡°It¡¯s only seven o¡¯clock. The opening ceremony will start at ten o¡¯clock. Is this consideredte?¡± ¡°Fine, fine. I should have kidnapped you here yesterday!¡± Lin Tao said with a smile. The two of them chatted andughed as they walked to the backyard of the Lin Research Institute. Qiao Nian saw Director Lin pruning some expensive herbs. When Director Lin saw Qiao Nian, a trace of surprise shed in his eyes. However, when he saw that Qiao Nian¡¯s hands were empty, he couldn¡¯t help but frown. He said unhappily, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to give me a surprise? Where is the surprise?¡± ¡°The surprise is on the way. It¡¯ll be here soon!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s smile was like a flower in bloom. Hospital Director Lin was overjoyed. Looking at Qiao Nian happily, he reached out to stroke his white beard as he rebuked, ¡°You¡¯re too polite, child. Just bringing yourself is good enough. You don¡¯t have to bring a gift along!¡± Qiao Nian and Lin Tao looked at each other and smiled, a tacit understanding between them. In Chinese Inte ng, a flying crow signifies speechlessness. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 112 - 112 The Show Begins ?112: The Show Begins 112: The Show Begins Editor: As Studios Lin Tao smiled at Director Lin and said, ¡°Dad, you must be secretly overjoyed. You were clearly pining after Nian Nian¡¯s medicinal herbs!¡± Director Lin¡¯s smile grew even brighter. ¡°Child, why must you speak such truths aloud?¡± ¡°See, you do agree that I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± Lin Tao teased. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault for spoiling you. You don¡¯t even know what etiquette is. You should address Qiao Nian as Elder Sis!¡± Keeping his expression serious, Director Lin began to lecture Lin Tao. ¡°Stop, stop, stop! I don¡¯t want to listen anymore!¡± Lin Tao was really worried that Director Lin would continue with his lengthy lecture. She shook her head vigorously. ¡°I¡¯m taking Nian Nian to take a look around our research institute!¡± Before Director Lin could say anything, Lin Tao had already pulled Qiao Nian away. Looking at Lin Tao and Qiao Nian¡¯s retreating backs, Director Lin couldn¡¯t help but smile. At around nine in the morning, guests began to arrive in a steady stream. Director Lin stood at the door to wee them, smiling from ear to ear. Actually, Qiao Nian didn¡¯t like such asions. If it weren¡¯t for Director Lin and Lin Tao, she wouldn¡¯t havee. At this moment, Qiao Nian¡¯s phone began to ring. She took out her phone and saw a WeChat message. [Qiao Xin and Su Yan have the Suranne Grass to Mr. Lin¡¯s research institute.] Qiao Nian typed [Okay] in response, then put her phone into her bag. Lin Tao looked at the happy Director Lin. A trace of worry shed in her eyes. She moved closer to Qiao Nian and asked in a low voice, ¡°Nian Nian, have you really found the Suranne Grass? My father has been waiting for twenty years. I¡¯m a little worried he¡¯ll¡­¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Xin and Su Yan, who had just entered the room. Her lips curved up in a bright smile, and a sly glint shed in her eyes. ¡°Look, hasn¡¯t the Suranne Grass arrived?¡± Lin Tao blinked in confusion. She followed Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze and saw a sweet-looking girl and a young, handsome man walking in. Because the pair were attractive, they became the center of attention the moment they entered. Lin Tao looked at Qiao Nian in confusion. Puzzled, she asked, ¡°Those two people are just a couple of guests, and they seem to have only brought themselves. Where exactly is the Suranne Grass?¡± Qiao Nian gave a meaningful smile and raised her eyebrow slightly. ¡°Just wait and see! The show will begin very soon.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Xin¡¯s face. Tonight, she would trample Qiao Xin¡¯s arrogance to the ground, so that Qiao Xin would never be able to raise her head again. At the entrance of the institute, Su Yan was chatting happily with Director Lin. Standing obediently next to Su Yan, Qiao Xin carefully tugged on his sleeve. Su Yan nced at Qiao Xin and nodded. He then looked back at Director Lin. ¡°I¡¯ve specially prepared a small gift for you. I hope you¡¯ll ept it!¡± When Director Lin heard Su Yan¡¯s words, he casually replied, ¡°You didn¡¯t have to bring any gifts. Bringing yourself is enough. You¡¯re too polite!¡± At this moment, Su Yan¡¯s assistant brought in a box about a cubic meter in size. It was draped in red cloth, giving off a mysterious aura. The people around them couldn¡¯t help but look over. Qiao Xin had a bright smile on her face. Her eyes curved into crescents as she walked up to the assistant. She especially enjoyed being the center of attention. At this moment, Qiao Nian walked over, pulling Lin Tao with her. She gave Qiao Xin an impassive nce and asked, ¡°You came?¡± Qiao Xin was feeling especially smug when she suddenly heard a familiar voice. She turned around and saw Qiao Nian standing next to Director Lin. Qiao Xin¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Qiao Nian. Why would she be here? Qiao Xin quickly regained herposure, smiling sweetly. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re here too. What a coincidence.¡± At this moment, Su Yan¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian. Today, she was wearing a light blue dress, revealing her slender neck and a pair of alluring corbones. Her hair fell in a smooth wave behind her back. She looked like a fairy maiden who had descended from the skies. Su Yan couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 113 - 113 Gift ?113: Gift 113: Gift Editor: As Studios Su Yan¡¯s breathing quickened. Only at that moment did he realize how beautiful Qiao Nian was. Many people around them were beginning to whisper among themselves. ¡°Oh my god, that woman is so beautiful. Whose daughter is she? Why haven¡¯t I seen her before?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Who exactly is she? Why do I find her familiar?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Could it be a new member of the elite in An City?¡± ¡­ A trace of gloom shed in Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes. Previously, she had stunned everyone, but Qiao Nian¡¯s appearance hadpletely stolen the limelight. Qiao Xin clenched her fists involuntarily, trying hard to regain herposure. As long as Su Yan could work with Director Lin, Qiao Nian didn¡¯t matter one jot. Su Yan listened to thepliments that the people around him were heaping on Qiao Nian, his face full of disdain. In his opinion, Qiao Nian was very cunning. She regrly tried to smear Qiao Xin¡¯s name. This woman was simply evil to the bone. No matter how good-looking Qiao Nian was, if she was utterly evil, she would be a vicious woman through and through. But Qiao Xin was different. Qiao Xin was gentle and kind, and thought for him in every way. For his future, Qiao Xin had risked her life to get him a pot of Suranne Grass. Unlike Qiao Nian, who had a vicious heart. At the thought of this, Su Yan couldn¡¯t even bear to look at Qiao Nian any longer. He nced at Director Lin and said humbly, ¡°Director Lin, please open the gift!¡± Su Yan¡¯s thought process was very simple. As long as Director Lin saw this gift, he would definitely choose to work with Su Yan! Director Lin nodded and reached for the red cloth. At this moment, a deep and maic voice resounded from the side. ¡°Uncle Lin, how have you been?¡± Just as Director Lin¡¯s hand was about to touch the red cloth, he retracted it. Su Yan frowned and nced at Gu Zhou warily. Shouldn¡¯t Gu Zhou be staying at home like the sickly invalid he was? What was he doing here? Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou, slightly stunned. However, she quickly recovered. Naturally, Gu Zhou sensed Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze. He nced at her, his gaze lingering on her cherry-red lips for a moment, then gradually moved downwards. His gaze fell on her faintly exposed cleavage, and his eyes darkened just a shade. The aura of aggression intensified. Chen Qing, who was standing behind Gu Zhou, frowned. Second Young Madam had dressed up today. For some reason, he sensed that she would definitely draw a lot of attention. When Director Lin saw that Gu Zhou had arrived, he was overjoyed. He hurriedly stepped forward to greet him and said, ¡°Nephew, you¡¯re here. Come,e in!¡± Gu Zhou gave Su Yan an indifferent nce and said, ¡°Uncle, apart from congratting you today, I would also like to formally ask to work with you on the production of medical equipment. Would you like to consider my proposal?¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s voice was gentle. Despite the domineering aura radiating from every inch of his body, his manner was sincere and polite. No one thought he was being rude. Su Yan¡¯s expression changed when he heard Gu Zhou¡¯s words. He had never heard of the Gu family nning to enter the medical field. Was Gu Zhou really nning to enter the medical field on a whim, or was he trying to make life difficult for Su Yan on purpose? Su Yan didn¡¯t have the time to think too much about it. He couldn¡¯t let Gu Zhou snatch this partnership away from him. He hurriedly stepped forward and said respectfully, ¡°Director Lin, I¡¯ve actually taken a liking to this project as well. As you know, the Su family has opened a chain of hospitals too. I came today because I hope that you can consider the Su family in this partnership.¡± When Gu Zhou had first spoken about the partnership, he gave off the impression of bringing it up casually, merely getting straight to the point and stating his purpose foring. He had no intention of asking for an answer right there and then. But when Su Yan brought this up, it was as if he was holding a knife to Director Lin¡¯s neck, forcing him to give an answer right that instant. Instantly, the atmosphere turned a little awkward. Smiling, Qiao Nian stepped forward. Her gaze fell on Director Lin¡¯s face, and her voice was as gentle as flowing water. ¡°Director Lin, you haven¡¯t seen this gift yet. This little assistant has been carrying this gift for a long time, and Mr. Su has been so kind as to bring it here.¡± Director Lin suddenly smiled and said, ¡°Yes, yes, yes. I¡¯ve forgotten about it!¡± Gu Zhou narrowed his eyes dangerously, his body radiating coldness. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 114 - 114 Priceless ?114: Priceless 114: Priceless Editor: As Studios Chen Qing, who was standing behind Gu Zhou, was the first to sense the change in Gu Zhou¡¯s aura. He couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Su Yan¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. He hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to speak up for him, and his lips curved up involuntarily. So Qiao Nian still liked him. The reason Qiao Nian didn¡¯t confess her love for him thest time was probably because she was embarrassed! Su Yan could understand. After all, girls tended to be shy. Su Yan gave Gu Zhou a challenging look. As long as his gift was opened in public, Gu Zhou would have no choice but to step aside! Suppressing the ecstasy in his heart, Su Yan instantly began to exude an air of superiority. Qiao Xin stood uneasily beside Su Yan. No one else knew where the Suranne Grass came from, but she did. She had a bad feeling about this. Nervous, she gripped Su Yan¡¯s hand tightly. Su Yan was initially getting a little impatient, but when he thought about how Qiao Xin had given him the Suranne Grass immediately after she found it, he didn¡¯t show it. Director Lin reached out and pulled off the red cloth. Just like that, the Suranne Grass appeared in front of everyone. Most of the people who attended the opening ceremony today were from the medical field. They instantly recognized the rare Suranne Grass. Someone in the crowd, who perhaps wasn¡¯t as grounded as the others present, eximed loudly, ¡°Oh my god, it¡¯s Suranne Grass! It¡¯s worth tens of millions!¡± This feeling of astonishment instantly bloomed in everyone¡¯s hearts. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. This is Suranne Grass!¡± ¡°Oh my god, Mr. Su is so generous. He actually gave Suranne Grass as a gift!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only seen Suranne Grass in books. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a real pot of Suranne Grass. I wonder where Mr. Su got it from!¡± ¡°Mr. Su casually gifted this pot of Suranne Grass as a congrattory gift. Perhaps he has other pots of Suranne Grass. This won¡¯t do. I want to buy a stalk!¡± ¡­ The people around them were discussing spiritedly. At this moment, Director Lin was also astonished. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know what to do, or what sort of expression to show. Su Yan basked in the feeling of being the center of attention. He nced at Gu Zhou, his eyes glittering with smugness. However, Gu Zhou¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on Su Yan. His gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. Slowly, he walked over. ¡°Mrs. Gu, you look beautiful today.¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou in confusion. She felt that Gu Zhou¡¯s words sounded a little strange, almost as if they were carrying an undercurrent of danger. Qiao Nian smiled. ¡°Second Young Master Gu is as handsome as ever.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze fell on the Suranne Grass. His voice was low, but his tone was firm. ¡°That belongs to you, right?¡± Qiao Nian was slightly stunned. Puzzled, she looked at Gu Zhou, not understanding how Gu Zhou was so sure that this pot of Suranne Grass was hers. Gu Zhou seemed to be able to read Qiao Nian¡¯s mind. His expression was indifferent. ¡°Looks like the flowers and nts in our little garden at home are quite valuable after all!¡± Qiao Nian smiled. She didn¡¯t expect Gu Zhou to notice the medicinal herbs in the garden. It seemed that Gu Zhou was a very meticulous person! ¡°Then why are you here today?¡± Qiao Nian asked. ¡°To get back what belongs to our Gu family, of course!¡± Gu Zhou said self-righteously. Qiao Nian didn¡¯t understand at first. When she saw Gu Zhou staring at the Suranne Grass, she finally understood that Gu Zhou was referring to the Suranne Grass. This Suranne Grass was clearly hers. What did it have to do with the Gu family?! Gu Zhou walked over to Su Yan with a faint smile on his face. ¡°Mr. Su, I heard that Suranne Grass is hard toe by in a hundred years. How did you get it? Do tell.¡± Su Yan knew that Gu Zhou was jealous of him. He nced at Gu Zhou. When he met Gu Zhou¡¯s dark eyes, a chill ran down his spine. Su Yan had heard of Gu Zhou as well. It was said that Gu Zhou had never been a curious person. Su Yan had initially wanted to get rid of Gu Zhou with a perfunctory answer, but onlookers had begun to gather around, all of them asking him how he had found the Suranne Grass as well. Chapter 115 - 115 Shocking An City ?115: Shocking An City 115: Shocking An City Editor: As Studios Now, all the members of the elite in An City were staring at him and Qiao Xin. Su Yan had never felt so superior in his life. In that instant, he was overwhelmed with a wave of pride. He raised his head arrogantly, gazing at Qiao Xin with deep affection. ¡°This pot of Suranne Grass was given to me by my girlfriend, Qiao Xin. She cultivated it herself.¡± Everyone was stunned by his words. The smile on Qiao Xin¡¯s face didn¡¯t change. She stole a nce at Qiao Nian and heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that Qiao Nian had no other expression on her face. ¡°Miss Qiao Xin is truly ady of great capability. She actually managed to cultivate Suranne Grass!¡± ¡°I heard that even expert herbalists in our country can¡¯t cultivate such a valuable nt!¡± ¡°Qiao Xin? Why haven¡¯t I heard of the daughter of the Qiao family before?¡± ¡°Then you must be ill-informed. I heard that Miss Qiao Xin has always kept a low profile!¡± ¡°By the way, I remember something. At Matriarch Shen¡¯sst birthday banquet, there was someone named Qiao Nian. I think she¡¯s also a daughter of the Qiao family?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. I know about that. Qiao Nian was locked up because of a mental illness. I heard that she grew up in a vige. She¡¯s not even worth mentioning. She clearly can¡¯tpare to Qiao Xin!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s really surprising that Qiao Xin can cultivate Suranne Grass. Perhaps the government will even hire her to specially cultivate Suranne Grass!¡± ¡­ Su Yan listened to the discussion around him and felt immensely proud of himself. He was really d that he was together with Qiao Xin. Although Qiao Nian was the principal of An University, so what? Qiao Xin was miles ahead of her! Today, Qiao Xin was wearing a light green dress with shoulder straps. Beneath thece was a fishtail skirt, entuating her curvaceous figure. Qiao Xin had a sweet, round face, which made her look approachable. Today was the grand opening of the research institute. Director Lin had invited many members of the press. Now that they knew that Qiao Xin had cultivated Suranne Grass, they all aimed their cameras and microphones at Qiao Xin. Qiao Xin smiled gently, feeling immensely proud of herself. So this was what it felt like to be at the top. Those reporters longed to record every move Qiao Xin made, thinking that once the news got out, they could earn a lot of money through publicity. An excited reporter stepped forward and aimed the microphone at Qiao Xin, asking in admiration, ¡°Miss Qiao Xin, it¡¯s said that Suranne Grass is extremely difficult to cultivate. How did you cultivate it?¡± When the big shots of the medical field heard the reporter¡¯s question, they all stared unblinkingly at Qiao Xin. Some even took out pens and notebooks, preparing to write down every word Qiao Xin said. ¡°The living conditions of Suranne Grass are quite specific. It has to be kept at a constant temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. It has to be ced in sunlight in the morning for three hours a day, and in the afternoon, it has to be ced in a dark room. Its growth period is three years: one year for germination, and two years for maturation. During this period, there are still many details to take note of. If anything goes wrong, the Suranne Grass might wither,¡± Qiao Xin said with a smile. Actually, she wasn¡¯t clear about the cultivation method of Suranne Grass either. She had only found this information from Baidu1. ¡°Oh my god, this Suranne Grass sounds so troublesome to cultivate!¡± ¡°No wonder no one can keep Suranne Grass alive. Such meticulous care really tests one¡¯s patience!¡± ¡°Every generation brings forth a talent. I really didn¡¯t expect Young Mistress Qiao Xin to be able to cultivate Suranne Grass at such a young age!¡± ¡°Let me tell you, I heard that back then, the Gu family wanted Qiao Xin to marry Second Young Master Gu to get rid of the Gu family¡¯s bad luck. Fortunately, the Qiao couple asked Qiao Nian to marry into the Gu family instead. Otherwise, Miss Qiao Xin¡¯s entire life would have been ruined!¡± ¡°Yes, Second Young Master Gu is not in good health. Miss Qiao Xin would definitely have be a living widow if she married him!¡± ¡°Oh my god, is that true?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? Don¡¯t you think Second Young Master Gu regretted marrying Qiao Nian when he came here today? Perhaps he¡¯s nning to propose to Qiao Xin again, and beg her to marry him!¡± ¡­ Listening to the words of those people, Qiao Nian truly felt that gossip was a fearful thing. If these rumors were repeated often enough, they would soon be epted as truth! Those people had made her sound so despicable with just a few words. They even said that Gu Zhou was Qiao Xin¡¯s fawning dog. Their imaginations truly knew no bounds. It was a pity that they weren¡¯t screenwriters! Baidu is the Chinese version of Google. Chapter 116 - 116 Heartache for Him ?116: Heartache for Him 116: Heartache for Him Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian¡¯s heart ached a little for Gu Zhou. Her brow furrowed deeper and deeper. Previously, no one knew that she had married into the Gu family as a gesture of good fortune to the family. How did everyone know now? Now, the entire An City seemed to know that the short-lived Gu Zhou had married the lunatic Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian¡¯s brow furrowed even deeper. Previously, she had thought that when the time came, she would leave the Gu family. Now that her marriage with Gu Zhou had caused such a stir, if she wanted to get a divorce, it would probably be quite troublesome. At this moment, Qiao Nian suddenly recalled something. Gu Zhou seemed to have nned to keep their marriage a secret as well. Now that this matter had been exposed, Gu Zhou would definitely be furious. At the thought, Qiao Nian looked up at Gu Zhou. What surprised Qiao Nian was that Gu Zhou didn¡¯t seem to be angry. His expression was as calm as ever, as if whatever those people were saying had nothing to do with him. ¡°Gu Zhou is so pitiful. He didn¡¯t manage to marry such a beautiful and talented girl like Qiao Xin, but he ended up marrying a lunatic.¡± ¡°Keep your voice down. Don¡¯t let Gu Zhou hear you!¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Back then, he was willing to marry that lunatic. He must have been mentally prepared for gossip.¡± Qiao Nian pursed her lips gently. She couldn¡¯t bear to listen to any more of their gossip. Her eyes were filled with coldness. The man who had been speaking ill of Gu Zhou felt someone staring at him. He turned his head and met Qiao Nian¡¯s dark eyes. The man¡¯s expression faltered. If he recalled correctly, this woman was Qiao Nian, who had shocked everyone at Matriarch Shen¡¯s banquet. He felt a chill run down his spine and momentarily forgot about gossiping. Actually, he wasn¡¯t afraid of Qiao Nian herself. However, because Gu Zhou was standing next to Qiao Nian, if Qiao Nian could hear him, then Gu Zhou could too. These people could gossip about Gu Zhou in private, but they did not have the guts to go against the Gu family in the open! Qiao Nian walked over to Lin Tao and lowered her voice, pretending to be unconcerned. ¡°Who¡¯s that blonde with curly hair?¡± Lin Tao followed Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze. After some thought, she said, ¡°I think he¡¯s the youngest master of the Sheng family. His name is Sheng Shan.¡± Qiao Nian lowered her gaze slightly. Eighty percent of the chain pharmacies in An City were owned by the Sheng family. Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes darkened several shades. Qiao Nian hated it when people gossiped behind her back. Worse still, how could others refer to her marriage to Gu Zhou as one between a lunatic and a short-lived invalid? She was already used to people gossiping about her, but Gu Zhou had done nothing apart from falling ill, yet he still had to be criticized. Qiao Xin, who was standing in the middle of the crowd, inadvertently nced at Qiao Nian¡¯s face. Seeing that Qiao Nian didn¡¯t seem to care about her at all, she heaved a sigh of relief. Pretending to be humble, she said, ¡°I identally cultivated the Suranne Grass myself. I¡¯m not as outstanding as everyone says. Everyone, do stop praising me.¡± Qiao Xin¡¯s humility instantly made the onlookers have a much better impression of her. ¡°Lass Qiao, you¡¯re too humble!¡± ¡°Young people these days are all arrogant and conceited. There aren¡¯t many who are as humble as you!¡± Qiao Xin gave a sweet smile, then turned to nce at Su Yan affectionately. Her gaze finallynded on Director Lin¡¯s face and she said gently, ¡°Director Lin, I initially wanted to keep this Suranne Grass as seed for the future. Brother Su Yan regards you as his idol and he admires you greatly. He wanted to give you the Suranne Grass, so I sent it over. I hope you¡¯ll ept it!¡± Qiao Xin might sound humble and polite, but in reality, she had caused Director Lin a lot of trouble. Director Lin really cared about this Suranne Grass. It had to be known that Nian Nian, who had always been very talented at cultivating nts, had never managed to cultivate Suranne Grass either. Therefore, he desperately wanted this Suranne Grass. The medical value of Suranne Grass was immense! He understood that Su Yan wanted to work with him. To Director Lin, it didn¡¯t matter who he worked with. Chapter 117 - 117 Gardening ?117: Gardening 117: Gardening Editor: As Studios Suppressing his excitement, Director Lin decided to agree to Su Yan¡¯s request. ¡°Miss Qiao, since¡­¡± ¡°Uncle Lin!¡± Before Director Lin could finish speaking, Qiao Nian spoke up. Qiao Xin¡¯s heart jumped to her throat. She stared unblinkingly at Qiao Nian, an ominous feeling rising in her heart. This country bumpkin had kept silent for so long. Why did she choose to speak up at this critical moment? Qiao Xin had already cursed Qiao Nian to the core a thousand times over. Su Yan¡¯s eyes darkened. He could clearly sense that Director Lin was willing to work with them, but Qiao Nian had stepped forward and interrupted him. Although Director Lin was also displeased that Qiao Nian had interrupted him, he couldn¡¯t bear to berate Qiao Nian. Hence, he said, ¡°Nian Nian, if you have anything to say, let¡¯s talk about itter!¡± The smile on Qiao Nian¡¯s face didn¡¯t falter. She said solemnly, ¡°Uncle Lin, I have something to discuss with you.¡± Director Lin instantly understood what Qiao Nian meant. He hesitated for a moment, caught in a dilemma. ¡°Qiao Nian, what exactly do you mean by that?¡± Su Yan couldn¡¯t help but ask coldly. He was just about to gain the opportunity for coboration, but Qiao Nian was ruining everything. ¡°We¡¯re talking about serious business. Do you even understand what serious business means?¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s methods were truly despicable. She was clearly trying to attract his attention through such low-down ways! She was such a pathetic woman. She should learn from Qiao Xin. Only then would she realize the best way to show her love for him. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that if one coborates with Uncle Lin on this project, they can get a piece ofnd spanning fifty acres. I would like to garden on that piece ofnd, and cultivate the nts and flowers I like. As for medical equipment, I¡¯ll find a third party to be a supplier. Would that be okay?¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s words made everyone burst intoughter. ¡°All the big shots in the medical field want to snatch that piece ofnd. And she dares to say that she wants to use that piece ofnd to garden. What a waste of a priceless treasure!¡± ¡°She must be a fool.¡± ¡°She¡¯s indeed an unpresentable piece of goods! She clearly won¡¯t amount to anything!¡± An old man said gently, ¡°Youngdy, coborating with Director Lin isn¡¯t just a game. It won¡¯t be like ying house. There are many factors involved in this. If you want to be involved, you have to take note of the asion.¡± Qiao Nian gave the old man another look, but said nothing. The onlookers took this opportunity to continue humiliating Qiao Nian. ¡°If Mr. Su gets the opportunity for coboration, his girlfriend, Qiao Xin, will definitely nt more Suranne Grass. This will be a great contribution to the country. Where did you get the guts to snatch this coboration from Mr. Su?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not wrong for youngdies to like nts, but those nts and flowers you like are all very cheap. Isn¡¯t it embarrassing to say that you want to garden on that piece ofnd?¡± ¡°She¡¯s truly overestimating her own abilities. What a fool! She¡¯s just another country bumpkin.¡± ¡°If you ask me, you should hurry to the hospital to have your brain examined. I think it¡¯s extremely likely that you have a screw loose.¡± ¡°They were both born to the same parents. How can the difference between them be so great!¡± ¡­ Qiao Xin stood there calmly. Listening to the people around her ndering Qiao Nian, she felt extremely smug. Gu Zhou stood where he was, remaining silent. His gaze, as sharp as an eagle¡¯s, swept across every single person who was slinging mud at Qiao Nian. He turned his head slightly and said to Chen Qing, ¡°Have you remembered all of their names?¡± Chen Qing could guess what Gu Zhou was nning to do. He nodded solemnly. ¡°I¡¯ve already memorized all their names.¡± ¡°Remember to give me the name list when you get back.¡± Gu Zhou pursed his thin lips. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± At this moment, Chen Qing realized that President Gu had really fallen for Qiao Nian. Perhaps he didn¡¯t know it himself. ¡°Heh!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s sneer stunned everyone. Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian. Su Yan stepped forward, looking displeased. He red at Qiao Nian and questioned, ¡°What are youughing at? Aren¡¯t they telling the truth? Or do you want to continue pretending to be deaf and mute?¡± Qiao Nian didn¡¯t even bother granting Su Yan a nce as she walked towards the Suranne Grass. Chapter 118 - 118 Can You Afford It ?118: Can You Afford It? 118: Can You Afford It? Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian ced her hand on the ss cab and gently tapped twice with his fingers. Her gaze fell on the Suranne Grass she had meticulously taken care of, now enclosed in a disy cab. Coldly, she snorted. Her gaze swept across the people who were looking at her with disdain. Her eyes were as cold as ice, and the oppressive aura she exuded stunned everyone. Su Yan looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief. He hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to be so imposing. Her aura was unbelievably strong. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze finally fell on Qiao Xin¡¯s face. She raised her eyebrows slightly, her eyes filled with cold arrogance. She said disdainfully, ¡°You think you can afford my Suranne Grass?¡± The surroundings instantly went silent. Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. Su Yan drew a sharp breath and frowned, looking at Qiao Xin in confusion. Qiao Xin¡¯s palms were covered in cold sweat. She looked at Qiao Nian, her face pale, not daring to speak. At this moment, the old man from before asked, ¡°Youngdy, are you saying this pot of Suranne Grass belongs to you?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Qiao Nian nodded without hesitation, her voice firm. Everyone around them was stunned! ¡°How is this possible?¡± ¡°Is this because she saw everyone praising Qiao Xin? Is that why she¡¯s trying to draw attention to herself?¡± ¡°Definitely. Miss Qiao Xin clearly knows how to cultivate Suranne Grass!¡± ¡­ When Qiao Xin heard these words, her lips curved up involuntarily. She immediately adjusted her mentality, and a warm and sweet smile appeared on her face. ¡°Sister, this is a public ce. Stop joking around!¡± Hearing Qiao Xin address that youngdy as ¡°Sister¡±, everyone was stunned. Some of the people in the crowd were on good terms with the Qiao family, so they exined to everyone, ¡°Qiao Shan has two daughters. Qiao Nian, who¡¯s mentally ill, married Second Young Master Gu! The other daughter is Qiao Xin!¡± ¡°So she¡¯s Second Young Master Gu¡¯s wife!¡± ¡°She¡¯s not bad-looking, and her outfit looks good as well. What a pity that she¡¯s a lunatic!¡± ¡­ Su Yan, who was standing beside Qiao Xin, seemed to have been struck by lightning. He looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief. Qiao Nian had actually married Gu Zhou. How was this possible? He would rather believe that the sun rose in the west. Su Yan¡¯s gaze lingered on Qiao Nian¡¯s and Gu Zhou¡¯s faces. The two of them didn¡¯t seem to be on good terms. Perhaps Qiao Nian hadn¡¯t really married Gu Zhou. Hearing everyone¡¯s words, Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes lit up. Smiling, she spoke up for herself. ¡°Sister, if you¡¯re not feeling well, don¡¯te out into the city for now. Recuperating at home should be the most important thing!¡± Qiao Xin¡¯s words confirmed the rumors that Qiao Nian was mentally ill. Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. They all felt that the words of a mentally ill patient could not be trusted. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Xin¡¯s face. She knocked lightly on the ss cab containing the Suranne Grass and said calmly, ¡°Qiao Xin, if you don¡¯t let the Suranne Grass out for a breather, it might wither.¡± The smile on Qiao Xin¡¯s face grew gentler. Her words were dripping with love and concern. ¡°Sister, did youe out of the house by yourself? Did the nanny who¡¯s taking care of youe with you? Did you take any medicine this morning?¡± ¡°Qiao Xin, I¡¯m not ill. Why would I take any medicine?¡± Qiao Nian said expressionlessly. Qiao Xin had initially wanted Gu Zhou to take Qiao Nian away. She looked at Gu Zhou, instantly meeting his dark eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. Although Qiao Xin had already made up her mind to marry Su Yan, if she had the chance to marry Gu Zhou, she would still choose to marry Gu Zhou instead. The Gu family was so rich that their wealth could rival a small country. They were much richer than the Su family! Moreover, Gu Zhou was much more good-looking than Su Yan. In the past, everyone used to say that Gu Zhou would die young, but she felt that perhaps Gu Zhou¡¯s health was just a little weak. She was sure that he would be fine. Qiao Xin looked up slightly. Seeing that Gu Zhou was still looking at her, she was overjoyed. Gu Zhou must have taken a liking to her. Chapter 119 - 119 Go On Fabricating ?119: Go On Fabricating 119: Go On Fabricating Editor: As Studios Qiao Xin¡¯s mind raced. As long as she could calm Qiao Nian down right now, they could still discuss the coboration between Su Yan and Director Lin some timeter. If anyone else found out that Qiao Nian was the one who had cultivated the Suranne Grass, her reputation would be ruined. Not only would Su Yan be angry, but Gu Zhou would also be displeased with her. ¡°Sister, the opening ceremony is starting soon. Don¡¯t spout nonsense. Let¡¯s go home, okay?¡± Qiao Nian raised her eyebrow slightly, speaking in a cold voice, ¡°Forget about the opening ceremony for now. Answer my question first!¡± After Qiao Nian spoke, everyone was even more certain that Qiao Nian was a lunatic. No one in An City would dare to cause trouble at Director Lin¡¯s grand opening ceremony. Everyone looked toward Director Lin. They saw that he wasn¡¯t angry at Qiao Nian¡¯s words. Instead, he was listening to the gossip with anticipation. Everyone was a little curious. They recalled that Director Lin had previously addressed Qiao Nian as Nian Nian. For a moment, they were all curious about their rtionship. Qiao Xin¡¯s heart was beating faster and faster. Her mind was in a mess, and she didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Qiao Xin, the Suranne Grass is already beginning to wilt. Are you sure you know how to cultivate it?¡± Qiao Nian said impatiently. ¡°If you can take good care of my Suranne Grass, I won¡¯t say anything, but right now, you¡¯re essentially trampling on it!¡± When everyone heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, their gazes fell on the Suranne Grass. The Suranne Grass was indeed beginning to look a little listless. Qiao Xin had also noticed something strange about the Suranne Grass, but at this moment, she had to refuse to admit that Qiao Nian had cultivated this pot of Suranne Grass. ¡°Sister, you¡¯ve indeed taken care of this pot of Suranne Grass for a few days, but I¡¯ve cultivated it since the beginning. I know you like Brother Su Yan, but he¡¯s my boyfriend now. Today is the opening day of Director Lin¡¯s research institute. If anything is the matter, we can talk when we get back, okay?¡± p! p! p! Qiao Nian pped for Qiao Xin. That mouth of Qiao Xin¡¯s truly knew no bounds! Qiao Nian sneered. ¡°Do go on fabricating!¡± This was such a trivial matter, but Qiao Xin was relentlessly adding fuel to the fire. Now, she was even trying to sow discord between her and Gu Zhou. She was just pretending to be an obedient and innocent girl! Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes were now filled with tears, and she looked extremely pitiful. The onlookers all felt that Qiao Xin was being bullied. In this situation, it was clearly Qiao Nian who was causing trouble for no reason! Everyone spoke one after another. They all wanted Qiao Nian to leave as soon as possible, lest she continue stirring up trouble on purpose. At this moment, Gu Zhou, who had been silent all this while, spoke. ¡°Since the matter has already blown up, let¡¯s make things clear now. Otherwise, others might think that Director Lin has bullied a youngdy to the point of tears!¡± Qiao Xin looked at Gu Zhou in disbelief. She hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zhou to speak up for Qiao Nian. Did Gu Zhou not mind the flirtatious rtionship between Qiao Nian and Su Yan at all? When Director Lin heard Gu Zhou¡¯s words, he nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. The truth of this matter must be made clear!¡± Lin Tao, who had been standing in the crowd, stared unblinkingly at Qiao Nian. She believed that Qiao Nian would definitely handle this matter well. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Xin¡¯s face again. She narrowed her beautiful crescent-shaped eyes and questioned again, ¡°Are you sure you cultivated this pot of Suranne Grass?¡± Qiao Xin could naturally tell that Qiao Nian was angry. She nodded obediently and said, ¡°Sister, it¡¯s gettingte. Let me take you home to take your medicine!¡± ¡°Qiao Xin, I¡¯ll repeat myself one more time. If you don¡¯t take out the Suranne Grass, it will really wither!¡± Qiao Nian enunciated each word clearly. When everyone heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, they all felt that she was looking for trouble. One by one, they sneered at her. They nced at Qiao Nian and then at Qiao Xin. They were both children of the same parents. One was both a troublemaker and a lunatic, while the other was so sweet and capable. One didn¡¯t have to think hard to know that Qiao Xin was right. If they were Qiao Xin¡¯s parents, they would probably favor Qiao Xin as well. Chapter 120 - 120 Greatly Wronged ?120: Greatly Wronged 120: Greatly Wronged Editor: As Studios Hence, most people stood on Qiao Xin¡¯s side. One by one, they began to criticize Qiao Nian. ¡°Qiao Nian, you can¡¯t bully your sister just because she¡¯s kind!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? I think Mr. Su doesn¡¯t want to be with Qiao Nian because she¡¯s arrogant, domineering, and crazy.¡± ¡°Qiao Nian, you said that you cultivated the Suranne Grass. You have to provide evidence. Forget it, there¡¯s something wrong with your brain. You probably don¡¯t even know what evidence is!¡± ¡­ When Qiao Xin heard that everyone was speaking up for her, her eyes instantly turned red. Her tears fell one by one, and she looked at Su Yan with tear-stained cheeks. ¡°Brother Su Yan, please convince Sister. Don¡¯t let her dy Director Lin¡¯s opening ceremony just because she wants to get your attention.¡± Su Yan had never liked Qiao Nian to begin with. Seeing how Qiao Nian was flinging her weight about in an inappropriate situation, he was so angry that he nearly vomited blood. ¡°Qiao Nian, look at yourself. In what way do you think you canpare to Qiao Xin? You¡¯re like a shrew right now. You don¡¯t even look like a daughter of a high-ss family. Hurry up and get lost. Don¡¯t embarrass yourself here!¡± Director Lin, who was standing at the side, frowned. He had watched Qiao Nian grow up. How could he let her be bullied by outsiders? With a dark expression, Director Lin said coldly, ¡°Mr. Su, before we investigate this matter thoroughly, you still have to watch your words!¡± Su Yan froze when he heard Director Lin¡¯s words, his expression faltering. He had never expected Director Lin to speak up for Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian was a lunatic. Everyone present knew about this. Why was Director Lin still defending a lunatic? However, he couldn¡¯t afford to offend Director Lin. He could only control his temper and say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my heart ached for Qiao Xin just now. I couldn¡¯t help it!¡± Qiao Xin looked at Su Yan, touched. She gently consoled him. ¡°Brother Su Yan, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m used to it. Don¡¯t offend Director Lin over such a small matter.¡± ¡°And you!¡± Director Lin frowned, his expression displeased. ¡°I¡¯m opening my research institute today. Why are you crying?¡± Qiao Xin bit her lip, aggrieved. One by one, her tears fell in silence. Lin Tao was amused by Qiao Xin¡¯s pretentious, pitiful manner. She stepped forward and said, ¡°Dad, why are you being so fierce? If Miss Qiao Xin sues you for scaring her and asks us forpensation, what should we do? But she¡¯s right. No matter what happens, evidence is important. As long as we have evidence, we¡¯ll know if Miss Qiao Xin has been wronged.¡± With that, Lin Tao gave Qiao Nian a reassuring look. Qiao Nian smiled but didn¡¯t say anything. Qiao Xin bit her lip. She wasn¡¯t a fool. How could she not tell that Director Lin¡¯s precious daughter was on Qiao Nian¡¯s side? Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. Director Lin looked at Qiao Nian gently and said, ¡°Nian Nian, think about it. Is there anything that can prove that you were the one who cultivated the Suranne Grass?¡± Actually, Director Lin was already certain that Qiao Nian was the one who had cultivated the Suranne Grass. However, he couldn¡¯t favor Qiao Nian so tantly in front of everyone. As long as Qiao Nian could provide evidence, the bad reputation Qiao Nian had gained today would be forgotten. The onlookers would no longer think that she was a lunatic who bullied her younger sister. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Qiao Xin wiped her tears and stepped forward, tears swirling in her eyes. ¡°Since Sister said that she cultivated the Suranne Grass, then she must have done so. As long as Sister is happy, it¡¯s fine if I suffer a little!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s expression turned cold. Qiao Xin¡¯s casual words had confirmed that Qiao Nian was a lunatic, as well as made clear the usation that Qiao Nian had stolen her Suranne Grass. Su Yan¡¯s heart ached when he heard Qiao Xin¡¯s words. ¡°Xinxin, you¡¯re always so kind. Although she¡¯s your older sister, that doesn¡¯t mean that you have to give in to her in every way!¡± The surrounding guests looked at Qiao Xin¡¯s aggrieved expression and nodded in agreement. Qiao Xin didn¡¯t speak. She just stood there with her head lowered, looking extremely dejected. Everyone looked at Qiao Xin with heartache, each feeling that she had been greatly wronged. They despised Qiao Nian even more! Chapter 121 - 121 Lunatic ?121: Lunatic 121: Lunatic Editor: As Studios Deep down, Director Lin trusted Qiao Nian. However, he was the organizer in this situation, and he had to give everyone an exnation. He asked, ¡°Miss Qiao Xin, Nian Nian, please tell me the truth. Who exactly does this pot of Suranne Grass belong to?¡± When Qiao Xin heard Director Lin¡¯s words, she turned to nce at him, looking as if she wanted to speak, but was holding herself back. Her gaze finally fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face, and a trace of hesitation shed across her face. For a moment, she looked like she was caught in a serious dilemma. After a while, Qiao Xin¡¯s gaze hardened as she said, ¡°The Suranne Grass belongs to Sister!¡± Qiao Nian didn¡¯t speak. There was nothing wrong with Qiao Xin¡¯s answer, save for her acting as if she were giving in. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but feel indignant for Qiao Xin. ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯ve gone too far. How can you bully your sister like this?¡± ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯re really shameless. You¡¯re going crazy trying to attract attention!¡± ¡°Miss Qiao Xin, you can¡¯t keep backing down. This will only make some brazen people, whom I won¡¯t name, demand for more and more!¡± ¡­ Gu Zhou stood at the side, his thin lips pursed and his phoenix-like eyes narrowed. His gaze fell on the people who had spoken up for Qiao Xin. The coldness in his eyes gradually intensified. His well-defined hands clenched tightly into fists, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged viciously, as if he was holding back something. Seeing this, Chen Qing hurriedly jotted down all their names. Those people clearly didn¡¯t know what was good for them. Second Young Master Gu would definitely require those names. Tears welled up in Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes. She turned to look at Qiao Nian, who was standing next to her, and put on a pitiful expression. ¡°Everyone, stop talking. This was cultivated by my sister. Please stop attacking her. Thank you.¡± Not only did Qiao Xin¡¯s words fail to make the people around her sympathize with Qiao Nian, but it also increased their dissatisfaction with Qiao Nian several times over. Some of them were so angry that they yearned to step forward and tear Qiao Nian to shreds. This was the first time they had seen such a brazen woman. At this moment, a middle-aged man walked in. He was wearing a suit and leather shoes, and had his hairbed back. He walked up to Qiao Xin and said gently, ¡°Second Young Mistress, I¡¯m really sorry for beingte!¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on the middle-aged man. The man was none other than the big shot of the scientific research field, Song Hua. The famous Song Hua had developed medicine to treat leukemia when he was 25, saving countless families. Song Hua was very well-known in the medical field and was deeply respected. After that, Song Hua had made many contributions to the country. This time, he came specially to look for Qiao Xin. Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Xin again. Initially, they didn¡¯t know where Qiao Xin had gotten the Suranne Grass from, but now they understood. So there was someone above Qiao Xin. Song Hua¡¯s gaze swept across the crowd. He said solemnly, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, Qiao Xin was the one who nted the Suranne Grass. I was once fortunate enough to witness its growth.¡± Song Hua¡¯s words seemed to reassure everyone. Now, everyone waspletely certain that Qiao Xin was the one who had nted the Suranne Grass. Qiao Nian frowned slightly. She hadn¡¯t expected Song Hua to appear, much less that he was here to help Qiao Xin. She finally understood why Qiao Xin was so bold as to say that the Suranne Grass belonged to her. So there was a big shot backing her up. So Qiao Xin had put in a lot of effort in preparation for this battle. Qiao Nian asked calmly, ¡°Mr. Song, do you know how Suranne Grass is nted?¡± With his hands behind his back, Song Hua said with an air of frankness, ¡°Naturally, one has to first nt the seed. The nt will take root, germinate, and finally sprout.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Qiao Nian was nowpletely certain that Song Hua didn¡¯t know anything. He was simply describing the process of how the Suranne Grass grew ording to his imagination. ¡°Is that so?¡± When the people around them heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, they were all displeased. They felt that Qiao Nian was too arrogant. She didn¡¯t even respect her elders. Chapter 122 - 122 How Disgusting ?122: How Disgusting 122: How Disgusting Editor: As Studios ¡°Qiao Nian must be so angry that she can¡¯t speak!¡± ¡°When I saw her previously, I thought she was a smart and generous youngdy. I didn¡¯t expect her to be so vicious!¡± ¡°Such a vicious person should go to the eighteenth level of hell!¡± ¡­ Hearing everyone¡¯s words, Qiao Xin bit her lip and put on a selfless facade, saying, ¡°Uncle Song, it¡¯s all my fault. I lied to you. This Suranne Grass¡­ This Suranne Grass was nted by my sister.¡± Seeing Qiao Xin¡¯s air of conceding defeat, Song Hua gently patted Qiao Xin¡¯s back and said sympathetically, ¡°Good child, you can¡¯t alwayspromise. Don¡¯t be sad. Uncle will stand up for you!¡± With that, Song Hua¡¯s gaze fell on Director Lin¡¯s face. A trace of a smile appeared on his serious face. ¡°Director Lin, long time no see. I apologize foring uninvited.¡± Song Hua and Director Lin used to be schoolmates. ¡°Since you¡¯re already here, what¡¯s the use of saying all this now? You¡¯re just being a hindrance!¡± Director Lin knew that Song Hua was a despicable person, so he didn¡¯t bother treating him with hospitality either. Song Hua¡¯s skin was thicker than a city wall. He didn¡¯t take Director Lin¡¯s displeasure to heart at all. His gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. ¡°Qiao Nian, one has to have principles. As an older sister, how can you always steal what belongs to your younger sister? You¡¯ll never have a foothold in the medical field if you continue being like this. If you¡¯re willing to apologize to Qiao Xin now, then I¡¯ll let bygones be bygones for what you¡¯ve done in the past.¡± ¡°Stealing someone else¡¯s fruits ofbor without putting in any effort. Song Hua, you¡¯re right!¡± Director Lin seemed to be implying something. Song Huapletely ignored Director Lin¡¯s words. No one else present right now couldpare to him, especially regarding his status in the medical field. Many in the crowd would still need to fawn over him to get where they wanted to be. ¡°Qiao Nian, apologize to your sister!¡± Song Hua shouted sternly. ¡°Mr. Song, what you¡¯re saying is a little strange. Just because you said that she nted the Suranne Grass, does that mean that she must have been the one who nted it? Are you God? I must have missed the memo.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s expression was one of utter calmness. When the people around them heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, they turned red with anger. ¡°Qiao Nian, do you know who he is?¡± ¡°Qiao Nian, how you fight with your sister is none of our business. But now, you¡¯re ndering Mr. Song. Have you lost your mind?¡± Qiao Nian stood there and watched as these people pointed fingers at her, each preaching morals at her. Her lips curved up in disdain. ¡°It¡¯s just a stalk of Suranne Grass. Surely it¡¯ll be fine if you can¡¯t get it back!¡± ¡°Qiao Nian is really a lunatic. A stalk of Suranne Grass is worth tens of millions!¡± ¡°If she¡¯s not crazy, how could she not know how valuable Suranne Grass is?¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s all leave. Qiao Nian must be trying to attract attention and steal her sister¡¯s credit!¡± ¡°Qiao Nian is so disgusting!¡± ¡­ At this moment, Director Lin¡¯s assistant stumbled into the room, panting heavily. ¡°Director Lin, Miss Qiao Nian¡¯s gift has arrived!¡± When the people around them heard the assistant¡¯s words, they all began tough. ¡°A gift that can make Director Lin¡¯s assistant panic. Qiao Nian¡¯s gift must be really unique!¡± ¡°Did Qiao Nian send over a bucket of shit?¡± ¡°Who knows? That might be true!¡± ¡­ When Director Lin heard the words of the people around him, his expression darkened. His gaze fell on the assistant¡¯s face. ¡°Why are you panicking? What haven¡¯t you seen before?¡± The assistant looked aggrieved. He asked carefully, ¡°Then¡­ then, should I get the gifts to be moved in now?¡± ¡°Do so!¡± Director Lin knew very well that no matter how bad Qiao Nian¡¯s present was, it wouldn¡¯t be as bad as others made it out to be. The assistant nodded and walked out. The onlookers looked at Qiao Nian with interest, waiting tough at her. Song Hua looked at Qiao Nian arrogantly and said calmly, ¡°I have a photograph of Qiao Xin cultivating the Suranne Grass here.¡± With that, Song Hua unlocked his phone and pulled up a photograph, handing his phone to everyone. In the photograph, Qiao Xin was happily holding a small flower pot. A green shoot had sprouted from the pot. Needless to say, this must be Suranne Grass. Chapter 123 - 123 Soul Questioning ?123: Soul Questioning 123: Soul Questioning Editor: As Studios Song Hua¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face and he snorted. ¡°Qiao Xin has always kept in mind that you¡¯re her older sister, so she has always tolerated you, but you can¡¯t go too far. You can¡¯t keep bullying her just because she¡¯s kind. If you don¡¯t apologize to her today, don¡¯t even think about leaving this ce!¡± Everyone looked at Qiao Xin sympathetically. They all believed that Qiao Xin often gave in to Qiao Nian at home as well. Qiao Xin wiped her tears with a tissue and said gently, ¡°Uncle Song, it¡¯s good that the truth of this matter has alreadye to light. Please don¡¯t me Sister. She didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± In the eyes of the crowd, Qiao Xin looked extremely pitiful. She was the younger sister, yet she had to be constantly magnanimous, and had to give in to her older sister, Qiao Nian, all the time. This youngdy was truly a kind and understanding soul! Inparison, the crowd had no sympathy for Qiao Nian. She snatched her sister¡¯s belongings all the time. She was simply inhumane! ¡°Qiao Nian, apologize to Miss Qiao Xin!¡± ¡°Qiao Nian, apologize quickly. You shouldn¡¯t have bullied Miss Qiao Xin. You¡¯ve ruined Director Lin¡¯s opening ceremony!¡± ¡°Qiao Nian, if you still have a shred of humanity left in you, hurry up and kneel down to apologize!¡± Hearing the criticizing words of the people around her, Qiao Nian raised her eyebrows slightly and asked, ¡°Do any of you know how Suranne Grass is cultivated? Do you know the environmental conditions required for it to germinate? How can you all be sure that the pot Qiao Xin was carrying in that photograph contained Suranne Grass?¡± Everyone was stunned speechless for a moment. None of them had anything to say in response to the three questions Qiao Nian had fired out. However, they quickly regained their footing. Qiao Nian was clearly resorting to sophistry! ¡°Qiao Nian, don¡¯t even think about trying to free yourself from your wrongdoings. This is clearly your fault!¡± ¡°You¡¯re still refusing to tell the truth, even now.¡± ¡°Does Qiao Nian have no sense of propriety at all? She¡¯s simply a hopeless case. How can a person like here to Director Lin¡¯s opening ceremony?¡± Song Hua smiled coldly, his gaze falling on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. He questioned, ¡°In that case, tell me: how did you cultivate the Suranne Grass?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Qiao Xin and questioned, ¡°How about you tell us how you cultivated the Suranne Grass?¡± Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes darted to the side. Pretending to be aggrieved, she said, ¡°Sister, you were there when I was cultivating the Suranne Grass. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°I have no idea how you cultivated Suranne Grass,¡± Qiao Nian said expressionlessly. Indeed, Qiao Xin didn¡¯t know how this pot of Suranne Grass had been cultivated. She had found the method of cultivation on Baidu. ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve just told you how I cultivated Suranne Grass!¡± ¡°Qiao Xin, don¡¯t tell me you truly believe that Suranne Grass can be cultivated so easily!¡± Qiao Nianughed scornfully. ¡°You¡­¡± Without hesitation, Qiao Nian cut Qiao Xin off and continued, ¡°Suranne Grass is so valuable because it doesn¡¯t have any seeds. Apart from loosening the soil to increase porosity, and adding fertilizer, sesame seeds must also be mixed into the soil. Moreover, Suranne Grass is grown from the grafting of two different nts. Every morning, the morning dew has to be collected before the newly grown grass roots are buried in the soil. Then, it needs to be watered with ginseng water and the collected dew. It has to remain in a dark room at a constant temperature. In another half a month, the first sign of Suranne Grass will appear.¡± Qiao Nian paused for a moment, then looked at the people around her and continued, ¡°Just relying on ginseng water and morning dew is not enough to provide nutrients for Suranne Grass. During this period, it needs to be watered with the blood of scorpions. The growth cycle of Suranne Grass takes about three years. This pot of Suranne Grass only grew its leavesst week.¡± ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re spouting nonsense,¡± Qiao Xin said in a panic. ¡°If I remember correctly, ten years ago, botanists determined that Suranne Grass had gone extinct. Since it¡¯s already extinct, where did you find the seeds?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Qiao Xin intently and continued, ¡°If you could find seeds of Suranne Grass, that means that there¡¯ll be more Suranne Grass at that ce. Then, in that case, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have more with you. Just take out a few more stalks of Suranne Grass for everyone to see!¡± Chapter 124 - 124 Forced ?124: Forced 124: Forced Editor: As Studios Everyone had not yet fully absorbed the process of cultivating Suranne Grass. When they heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, they nodded thoughtfully. If Suranne Grass was really grown with seeds, then Qiao Xin would definitely know where to find other stalks of Suranne Grass. Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Xin¡¯s face. They were curious where all the other Suranne Grass was. When Song Hua heard Qiao Nian¡¯s question, he frowned and said, ¡°What nonsense were you spouting just now? Grafting, ginseng, and the blood of what? How could you cultivate Suranne Grass with such a strange method?¡± ¡°Suranne Grass has always been a hybrid nt. It went extinct because of its exacting growth conditions.¡± Qiao Nian didn¡¯t even bother giving Song Hua a nce. Instead, she stared unblinkingly at Qiao Xin and continued, ¡°If you insist that Suranne Grass is grown with seeds, that means that its seeds aren¡¯t poisonous. The roots of Suranne Grass won¡¯t be poisonous either. Do you dare to remove the roots of Suranne Grass with your bare hands?¡± Before Qiao Xin could speak, Qiao Nian continued, ¡°Just a friendly reminder. The roots of the Suranne Grass are highly poisonous. If you touch it with your bare hands, you¡¯ll be instantly poisoned. The Suranne Grass will also die immediately!¡± Qiao Nian was so frightened that her face had turnedpletely pale. Swaying on the spot, she looked at Qiao Nian in fear and unease. ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not spouting nonsense. You just have to touch the roots of the Suranne Grass. If you¡¯re poisoned, that means I¡¯m right. If you¡¯re not poisoned, that means you cultivated this pot of Suranne Grass.¡± Qiao Nian looked at Qiao Xin, her voice deliberately provoking. Her entire body was radiating a frigid aura. Sensing Qiao Nian¡¯s aura, everyone was momentarily stunned. None of them dared to speak. Qiao Xin was so anxious that cold sweat had broken out on her forehead. She didn¡¯t dare to touch the roots, because she was really worried that she would be poisoned. Qiao Xin found herself in a hard position. She had no way of backing down from this situation. If she continued to argue with Qiao Nian, she might give herself away. The only solution was to leave. After a moment of silence, Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Nian with tear-stained cheeks. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re spouting nonsense. I know you hate me. I¡¯ve already given in to you. What else do you want?¡± With that, Qiao Xin walked towards the exit in tears. ¡°Has Qiao Nian said anything wrong?¡± Gu Zhou, who had been silent all this while, suddenly spoke. His voice was very calm, but one could sense the coldness in it. Qiao Xin stopped in her tracks, her mind nk. She looked at Gu Zhou in shock. Everyone was also stunned. They had thought that Gu Zhou was here to confess his love to Qiao Xin, but they didn¡¯t expect Gu Zhou to choose to believe in Qiao Nian. Gu Zhou raised his eyebrow slightly, looking as if he wasn¡¯t afraid of making a scene. His gaze was as sharp as a dagger as he red at Qiao Xin with that pair of dark eyes, his voice aggressive. ¡°Or is Qiao Nian telling the truth? You clearly don¡¯t dare to try. Are you nning to escape the scene?¡± Qiao Xin was on the verge of breaking down. She didn¡¯t dare to gamble with her life. Tears welled up in her eyes, and her expression grew uglier and uglier. ¡°Did Qiao Nian really cultivate the Suranne Grass?¡± An onlooker couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from others in the past about the methods of cultivation of Suranne Grass. Although I don¡¯t know if Qiao Nian¡¯s method of cultivation is right, I think there¡¯s something wrong with Qiao Xin¡¯s expression!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. If Qiao Xin was really the one who cultivated it, then she should know the Suranne Grass very well. Why wouldn¡¯t she dare to try it?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯m wondering about!¡± ¡°Could Qiao Xin be lying on purpose?¡± ¡­ Qiao Xin stood there uneasily, listening to the discussion. She was so anxious that her palms began to sweat. She had never expected that within the space of ten minutes, everyone would start to side with Qiao Nian. When Qiao Xin thought of how Qiao Nian had treated her so harshly, she hated Qiao Nian to the core. However, she didn¡¯t dare to voice her hatred. In the end, she couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears! Chapter 125 - 125 Stunning the Entire Crowd! ?125: Stunning the Entire Crowd! 125: Stunning the Entire Crowd! Editor: As Studios Seeing how hard Qiao Xin was crying, Su Yan¡¯s heart ached for her. He hurriedly pulled Qiao Xin into his embrace andforted her gently. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Don¡¯t be sad. I believe you. Qiao Nian has treated you so badly. Just don¡¯t take her to be your sister in the future!¡± Qiao Xin sobbed her heart out, looking a pitiful sight. She looked up at Su Yan and spoke, her voice choked with emotion. ¡°Brother Su Yan, it¡¯s all my fault. I wanted to help you, but I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this¡­¡± Seeing the state Qiao Xin was in, Su Yan red viciously at Qiao Nian. He hadn¡¯t expected that Qiao Nian would bully her younger sister like this all the time! The more Su Yan thought about it, the angrier he became. For his sake, Qiao Xin had taken the initiative to give him the Suranne Grass. She had gone to such lengths just to allow him to secure the opportunity for coboration with Director Lin. But this stupid woman, Qiao Nian, hade to cause trouble yet again. And this brainless fool still wanted to be with him! She must be dreaming! Su Yan¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Since no one wees us here, we¡¯ll take our leave!¡± With that, Su Yan began to help Qiao Xin out of the room. ¡°Haha.¡± At this moment, Qiao Nian began tough. Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. Su Yan stopped in his tracks involuntarily. He turned back to look at Qiao Nian and questioned, ¡°What are youughing at? Don¡¯t think that just because you bullied Qiao Xin, I¡¯ll get together with you. In your dreams!¡± Qiao Nian raised her eyebrow slightly, giving a bright smile. ¡°Mr. Su, you¡¯re wrong there. From the beginning, everyone has only targeted me. ording to how Qiao Xin is acting right now, a few sharp words of criticism can be enough for one to fall into the depths of despair and yearn to end one¡¯s life. In that case, shouldn¡¯t I have already died a thousand times over?¡± She refused to let Qiao Xin leave. She had to make Qiao Xin pay! Su Yan frowned when he heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words. His eyes were filled with coldness as he said impatiently, ¡°Are you saying that you want Qiao Xin to die a thousand times over? How can you be so vicious?¡± ¡°Is there something wrong with your brain? If so, I¡¯m sure that there¡¯s at least one neurosurgeon present today, among the big shots of the medical field who have been invited. Ask him to examine your brain, will you?¡± While speaking, Qiao Nian knocked lightly on her head and gave Su Yan a half-smile. ¡°Or were you already aware that Qiao Xin was lying? Did you know from the start that this pot of Suranne Grass belongs to me?¡± Su Yan¡¯s face turned green with suppressed rage when he heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words. He still remembered how gentle Qiao Nian had been in the past. Now that he thought about it, Qiao Nian seemed to have be apletely different person. When Song Hua heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, he walked up in a rage, ring fiercely at her. ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense. I know many big shots in the botanical field, but I¡¯ve never heard of anyone cultivating nts ording to the method you just described. Everything you¡¯ve said so far is just a big joke!¡± Song Hua was very well-known in the medical field. When the onlookers heard his words, they began to waver. One by one, they stood on Qiao Xin¡¯s side. ¡°Qiao Nian must be the one who¡¯s bullying Qiao Xin!¡± ¡°Although we¡¯ve never studied how nts grow, everyone knows that most nts are cultivated with seeds. How could nts be a new breed after grafting?¡± ¡°Mr. Song is famous in the medical world. How could he wrongly use a youngdy?¡± ¡­ At this moment, Director Lin¡¯s assistant entered. There was arge group of people behind him, and everyone instinctively looked toward the door. When everyone saw the parade of items behind Director Lin¡¯s assistant, their jaws dropped! Director Lin¡¯s assistant was holding a pot of Suranne Grass. Not only that, every person behind him was each holding a pot of Suranne Grass. Oh my god, there were five pots of Suranne Grass in total! Everyone¡¯s eyes had gone wide open in astonishment. Was this Qiao Nian¡¯s gift to Director Lin? What everyone was seeing right now was no longer the Suranne Grass, but piles of glittering gold. All of them were so excited that they nearly fainted from the shock. Chapter 126 - 126 Changing Sides ?126: Changing Sides 126: Changing Sides Editor: As Studios In an instant, all the blood drained from Qiao Xin¡¯s face. Her legs trembled uncontrobly as her weight fell on Su Yan. Without his presence, she might have copsed to the ground. Director Lin ced a hand over his heart, trying hard to calm himself down. He was genuinely afraid that he would faint from the shock. At this moment, Director Lin suddenly understood why his usuallyposed assistant had been so flustered. However, what shocked Director Lin even more was that the five pots of Suranne Grass were just the beginning. The gifts that followed almost caused Director Lin to faint from suffocation. Goodness, this was Moonlight Grass! These pots of Moonlight Grass had even bore fruit! One stalk of Moonlight Grass was worth tens of millions. Moreover, Moonlight Grass that had bore fruit was even rarer and more valuable than Suranne Grass! When everything had been carried in, the onlookers began to count the items one by one in childish excitement. It was as if they had all reverted to kindergarteners. Five pots of Suranne Grass, six pots of Moonlight Grass, and twelve ripe Moonlight Fruits. Each ripe Moonlight Fruit was worth more than a hundred million. Director Lin was almost knocked out. He moved his arm in front of Lin Tao and said excitedly, ¡°Quick, pinch me!¡± A gleeful smile appeared on Lin Tao¡¯s face. Not holding back, she pinched Director Lin¡¯s arm hard. ¡°Oh, that hurts! So everything is true!¡± Director Lin looked at the items in utter disbelief. He was afraid that he would faint from excitement. He was breathing so heavily that he wondered, momentarily, if an inhaler was necessary to assist his breathing. Qiao Xin looked at the five pots of Suranne Grass, neatly arranged in a row, and her breathing grew more and more erratic. She had initially thought that Qiao Nian was just going to hide the other pots of Suranne Grass she had seen, but she had never expected Qiao Nian to give all of them to Director Lin. Was Qiao Nian a fool? Those pots of Moonlight Grass shouldn¡¯t have been sent by Qiao Nian, right? Qiao Xin remembered that there were no pots of Moonlight Grass in the van at the mental hospital that day. That¡¯s right. These definitely weren¡¯t sent over by Qiao Nian! If Qiao Nian was so rich, why had she still stayed in the mental hospital, subjecting herself to suffering? It couldn¡¯t be true. Director Lin¡¯s assistant stood at the side, looking excited. His voice trembled as he said, ¡°Director Lin, we¡¯ve already moved in all of Miss Qiao Nian¡¯s gifts!¡± Everyone¡¯s legs gave way. The shock had left them all in a frenzied state of mind, a thousand thoughts buzzing about. They all wanted to kneel down and apologize to Qiao Nian! Director Lin¡¯s legs gave way as well. If Lin Tao hadn¡¯t been supporting him, he might have fallen to his knees! He had always known that Qiao Nian was very talented at cultivating nts, but he had never expected Qiao Nian to have spent these past few years preparing such a big gift for him! This was truly a great surprise! At this moment, Su Yan was also stunned. He had never expected Qiao Nian to be the one who had delivered these items. He was from the medical field, so he was naturally aware of the value of these items. These nts were truly priceless. Most wouldn¡¯t be able to ever own one in their lives, even if they were to run through their entire fortunes. But these gifts had been sent over by Qiao Nian, whom he despised the most. What shocked Su Yan the most was that Qiao Nian had probably cultivated these nts herself. Su Yan felt his face burn with shame, as if he had just been pped. As for the others, they looked at the Moonlight Grass and Suranne Grass in disbelief. ¡°Goodness! I¡¯m actually able to see real Moonlight Grass bearing fruit with my own eyes!¡± ¡°Our lives have truly not been in vain. Yet, we were blind to not recognize a giant among us. We misunderstood Miss Qiao Nian, and actually believed the words of that despicable Qiao Xin!¡± ¡°Miss Qiao Nian is truly a genius. One can only dream of getting anywhere near her level!¡± ¡­ Listening to the praises the others were heaping upon Qiao Nian, Song Hua clenched his fists tightly. His heart skipped a beat. He had stood on Qiao Xin¡¯s side today. Because of this matter, the good reputation he had been building up for decades was ruined, just like that. Song Hua red viciously at the Moonlight Grass and Suranne Grass. He had never expected Qiao Nian to be so generous! She had gifted so much to Director Lin at once! At the thought of this, Song Hua felt certain that Qiao Nian had other treasures in her possession! Chapter 127 - 127 Pushing the Blame ?127: Pushing the me 127: Pushing the me Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian had sent over so many treasures. This made everyone realize that the Suranne Grass didn¡¯t belong to Qiao Xin at all. Instead, it belonged to Qiao Nian. Every person in the crowd was admiring these expensive nts. They all looked at Qiao Nian with respect. Qiao Nian had never been one to be taken advantage of easily. She had no intention of letting Qiao Xin off the hook. Qiao Nian¡¯s beautiful fox-like eyes opened a little wider as she spoke, her words unhurried. ¡°Qiao Xin, are you still going to insist that this pot of Suranne Grass is yours?¡± Inch by inch, Qiao Xin turned her head to look at Qiao Nian. Her face was as pale as a sheet of paper. Her eyes were filled with fear and unease. Qiao Nian pointed at the pot of Suranne Grass Qiao Xin had brought over and said with a smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t you give my suggestion a try? Anyway, you¡¯ll only be ruining one pot of Suranne Grass. I¡¯m sure Director Lin won¡¯t feel the pinch.¡± Shaking her head, Qiao Xin stepped back. Matching her steps, Qiao Nian approached Qiao Xin, not giving her a chance to catch her breath. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Although the roots of the Suranne Grass can poison you, the hospital is very near. If we send you there, the doctor will help you detoxify the poison easily. By the way, even if you¡¯re cured, touching the roots of Suranne Grass will still cause a person¡¯s body to be covered in festering sores. There¡¯s no way to treat that!¡± At the thought that her entire body might be covered in boils, Qiao Xin said in fear, ¡°No, I won¡¯t!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Su Yan¡¯s face and she smiled. ¡°Mr. Su, you can take Qiao Xin¡¯s ce.¡± Su Yan¡¯s heart leaped to his throat. He nced at Qiao Xin, who was trembling, then at Qiao Nian, who appearedpletely unruffled. The answer was clear. So the pot of Suranne Grass really didn¡¯t belong to Qiao Xin. At this moment, Su Yan longed to find a hole to hide in. He had never expected Qiao Xin to do something like this! Su Yan was utterly humiliated. He was clenching his fists so hard that the veins on the back of his hands were bulging. Cold sweat had broken out on his forehead. Qiao Nian nced at Su Yan¡¯s fists. Smiling, she asked sarcastically, ¡°Are you going to throw a tantrum? If you want to start a fight, the police station isn¡¯t far from here either. Perhaps the police will give you a luxurious suite in prison on ount of the Su family name!¡± ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯re going too far!¡± ¡°Mr. Su, do you not use your brain?¡± Qiao Nian was so angry that she began tough. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the ones going too far?¡± Su Yan almost vomited blood. He couldn¡¯t find any words to rebuke her. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze finally fell on Song Hua¡¯s face. She smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Song, neither Su Yan nor Qiao Xin are willing to give it a try. Why don¡¯t you give it a try? Don¡¯t worry, if you¡¯re poisoned, I¡¯ll pay for your medical fees. I believe you¡¯ll definitely be impartial. A man of your status won¡¯t side with anyone!¡± On the surface, she was praising Song Hua, but everyone present knew that Qiao Nian despised him utterly. Song Hua was so angry that his chest ached. In all his years in the medical field, this was the first time he had been rebuked by a youngss to the point of speechlessness. His reputation had been ruined. Previously, Song Hua had sided with Qiao Xin because he had taken Qiao Shan¡¯s money. But now, everyone understood that Qiao Xin was the one who had stolen Qiao Nian¡¯s Suranne Grass in order to please Director Lin. If he still chose to stand on Qiao Xin¡¯s side, he would only be more humiliated. However, Gu Zhou, who was in the crowd, was gazing at Qiao Nian with admiration. To Song Hua, Qiao Nian was like a cunning little fox. No one could take advantage of her. Song Hua¡¯s mind raced, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. If he took up Qiao Nian¡¯s suggestion and ended up poisoned, his life would be over. Nothing could be more humiliating than that. He had no choice but to relent and say, ¡°Second Young Mistress Qiao, I was in the wrong. If Qiao Xin didn¡¯t show me that photograph, along with a false date, I would never have thought that she would lie to me!¡± Qiao Xin looked at Song Hua in disbelief and murmured, ¡°Uncle Song¡­¡± Song Hua¡¯s chest continued to ache with rage. He red at Qiao Xin and berated angrily, ¡°Qiao Xin, you used to be a good child. Why have you be like this? I remember now. You only did this to help Mr. Su, didn¡¯t you? But taking someone else¡¯s things is still wrong, no matter what. Hurry up and apologize to your sister!¡± Chapter 128 - 128 Rather Destroy It Than Let It Fall Into Your Hands ?128: Rather Destroy It Than Let It Fall Into Your Hands 128: Rather Destroy It Than Let It Fall Into Your Hands Editor: As Studios When Su Yan heard Song Hua¡¯s words, he couldn¡¯t help but frown. After some thought, he realized that that was indeed the case. Qiao Xin knew that Song Hua was giving her an out. The only thing she could do was to step out and say pitifully, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± The smile on Qiao Nian¡¯s face grew even brighter. She said disdainfully, ¡°You say that you didn¡¯t do it on purpose. If it really wasn¡¯t on purpose, you wouldn¡¯t have asked Mr. Song to vouch for you!¡± Qiao Xin swayed on the spot. This time round, her reputation was truly in tatters. Being young, she couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears again. At this moment, everyone who had spoken up for her previously looked at Qiao Xin from a distance, without a trace of sympathy or pity in their eyes. Qiao Nian looked meaningfully at Qiao Xin and said, ¡°Qiao Xin, I¡¯d already given you a chance. I told you to think carefully about whether you could afford to keep my Suranne Grass around.¡± Tears continued rolling down Qiao Xin¡¯s cheeks. Her hands trembled as she took out the key to the disy cab containing the Suranne Grass. Handing the key to Qiao Nian, she begged pitifully, ¡°Sister, it¡¯s all my fault. I just wanted Brother Su Yan to clinch this partnership. Now, I know that what I did was wrong. I won¡¯t do it again. Can I return the Suranne Grass to you? Please, please don¡¯t tell anyone about this, otherwise I¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already dirtied the Suranne Grass by handling it. I don¡¯t want anything you¡¯ve touched!¡± Taking a step back, Qiao Nian retorted coldly. When Qiao Xin heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, a trace of cunning shed in her eyes. Although she had humiliated herself in front of everyone, she could still make a lot of money by selling this pot of Suranne Grass on the market. But Qiao Xin had never expected Qiao Nian to take the key from her hands, open the disy cab, and take out the pot of Suranne Grass. Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Nian in confusion. Didn¡¯t Qiao Nian think that this pot of Suranne Grass was dirty? Why would she take it out? Just as everyone was feeling puzzled, they saw Qiao Nian raise the pot of Suranne Grass high up in the air and smash it viciously onto the ground. The sound of the ceramic pot shattering resounded throughout the hall. Everyone watched as the broken ceramic shards cut through the roots of the Suranne Grass. From the roots, the Suranne Grass began to gradually wither until it turnedpletely ck. Its life-force hadpletely disappeared. Qiao Xin felt as if a knife had been stabbed viciously into her chest. It was as if her heart was dripping with blood. She couldn¡¯t breathe. Tens of millions were gone just like that. Not only was she utterly humiliated today, but she had also lost tens of millions! When the onlookers saw this, they were all stunned. Oh my god! Qiao Nian had actually ruined that pot of Suranne Grass. But that was Suranne Grass! It was worth tens of millions! Qiao Nian took out a tissue and gently wiped the dust off her hands. She said impassively, ¡°Since this is something I don¡¯t want, there¡¯s no need to keep it around any longer!¡± Seeing this, the others were practically in tears. Qiao Nian¡¯s personality was simply too powerful. Su Yan and Qiao Xin were now both looking extremely grim. Song Hua felt as if Qiao Nian had given him a vicious p in the face. He didn¡¯t dare to say anything more. Reaching into his pocket for his phone, he pretended that he had to take a call, and left the room quickly. Now, Song Hua¡¯s image among the crowd had been severely tarnished. Lin Tao walked over to Qiao Nian. She gave Qiao Xin and Su Yan a vicious re, then took Qiao Nian¡¯s arm, smiling. ¡°Nian Nian, doe over andfort my father. I¡¯m a little worried that he might have a heart attack!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Director Lin. Her smile was warm and bright. ¡°Uncle Lin, if you hadn¡¯t taught me how to cultivate nts in the past, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to cultivate so much Suranne Grass and Moonlight Grass. For your opening ceremony today, I thought that you might be missing some nts and flowers, so I moved some over.¡± ¡°nts and flowers?¡± Director Lin felt like his heart was about to jump out of his chest. In a moment, Director Lin recalled that Qiao Nian had just offered to work with him. Her only request was to grow the nts and flowers she liked. Several acres of valuable nts¡­ When the onlookers thought of this, they nearly suffocated. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze lingered on Su Yan¡¯s face for a moment, then she smiled at Director Lin. ¡°Uncle Lin, what do you think of using that piece ofnd to cultivate these nts?¡± None of the other people who wanted to work with the Director dared to speak up, because they werepletely certain that Director Lin would decide to work with Qiao Nian. Everyone looked at Qiao Nian with envy. It seemed that Qiao Nian was going to be the new director of the research institute. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 129 - 129 Research Director Qiao ?129: Research Director Qiao 129: Research Director Qiao Editor: As Studios Without hesitation, Director Lin nodded. ¡°Congrattions, Research Director Qiao Nian.¡± ¡°Congrattions, Director Qiao!¡± ¡°Director Qiao is truly deserving of her reputation!¡± ¡­ The others hurriedly congratted her, showering her withpliments. Seeing this, Qiao Xin found the situation extremely ironic. Those people were simply fence-sitters! What a fickle lot! Hatred shed in Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t know how Qiao Nian, that wretch, could possess so much good fortune. Qiao Nian was clearly inferior to her in every way. She could not take this lying down! She simply couldn¡¯t! Meanwhile, Su Yan had never expected the project he had been optimistic about to disappear just like that. If he could secure this big project, he would be able to bring the Su family to greater heights. Moreover, before he came, he had already sworn to his family that he would get this project without fail. But now, this project had been snatched away by Qiao Nian. Su Yan¡¯s chest burned with rage, and his mind raced. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. ¡°Director Lin, Research Director Qiao won¡¯t be able to provide medical equipment. Shouldn¡¯t you find another partner?¡± Su Yan¡¯s thought process was simple. Even if he couldn¡¯t be the leader of this project, he should find some way to join the project. That way, he would have something to say when he got back to his family. Director Lin nced at Su Yan with aplicated expression, but remained quiet. Qiao Nian stood at the side and sighed. ¡°Why are you sighing?¡± Su Yan asked in confusion. Qiao Nian gave Su Yan a disdainful look. ¡°I just think that your skin is thicker than the city walls.¡± Su Yan¡¯s anger was obvious. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. Blood coated his fingernails, but he didn¡¯t seem to feel a thing. ¡°You¡­¡± Qiao Nian cut Su Yan off mercilessly. Her gaze fell on his face as she raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± Su Yan¡¯s face flushed red with embarrassment. To be humiliated by Qiao Nian in public! ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡± Su Yan bellowed. ¡°Please watch your manners.¡± Qiao Nian smiled at Su Yan and continued, ¡°I¡¯m the first partner. As for who is willing to provide medical equipment to us, the choice is mine. Mr. Su, do you think I¡¯ll let you work with me? Do you think I¡¯m a fool, or is it you who¡¯s stupid? Do you think I¡¯ll allow someone who nders me to work with me?¡± Without waiting for Su Yan to reply, Qiao Nian continued, ¡°With all the mud you slung at me just now, how can I be sure that you won¡¯t betray me in the future?¡± Director Lin stood at the side and nodded seriously. ¡°Qiao Nian is now the director of the research institute. From now on, she will be in charge of everything to do with the institute.¡± Director Lin¡¯s words implied that he agreed with Qiao Nian. How could Su Yan not tell? His expression was livid, but he had to secure the contract for medical equipment. Otherwise, his life in the Su family would be terrible from now on. Su Yan knew very well that Qiao Nian was angry at him mainly because he had been protecting Qiao Xin. Qiao Nian was probably filled with jealousy and resentment. After some time had passed, he would say some nice things to Qiao Nian. With Qiao Nian¡¯s fondness for him, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for him to secure the partnership. Su Yan was about to take the opportunity to leave when he heard Qiao Nian speak. ¡°Second Young Master Gu, I remember you mentioned the coboration as well just now. Are you still interested?¡± Qiao Nian walked up to Gu Zhou and looked at him intently. Gu Zhou met Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze, his gaze lingering on her cherry-red lips. His eyes darkened a few shades, the expression in them undefinable. Everyone turned to look at Gu Zhou, waiting for his reply. Su Yan gritted his teeth and red at Gu Zhou with a ferocious expression. Gu Zhou¡¯s thin lips opened slightly. ¡°It will be my honor to work with Director Qiao Nian!¡± His voice was as cold as ever, carrying a refined gentlemanliness. Many of the women present were watching Gu Zhou speak affectionately to Qiao Nian. One by one, their hearts all surged with emotion. Oh my god! This man was so handsome! His voice was so pleasant to the ear! How great would it have been if he wasn¡¯t sick! It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s ill. I¡¯m willing to continue taking care of him! I¡¯m willing to give birth to his child! ¡­ Su Yan was livid when he heard the infatuated voices of the women. This was his first time attempting to enter the business world, but he had suffered such a huge setback, and was even utterly humiliated. The more Su Yan thought about it, the angrier he became. He turned around and walked out. Chapter 130 - 130 Invitation ?130: Invitation 130: Invitation Editor: As Studios At this point in time, Qiao Xin had already stopped crying. Although she was also very angry, she still bowed respectfully to everyone before following Su Yan out of the room. Qiao Nian watched as the two of them left, her lips curving up slightly. Who the hell did Su Yan think he was? How could he have thought that he had a chance to work with Director Lin? If Qiao Nian wanted something, she would never let anyone else have it. Just like that pot of Suranne Grass. She would rather ruin it than let Qiao Xin have it. She refused to let Qiao Xin take advantage of her in any way. The grand opening ceremony began. As the new director of the research institute, Qiao Nian, as well as Gu Zhou, who represented the third-party coborator, stepped onto the stage. The firecrackers that followed were a perfect conclusion to the farce just now. Just like that, the opening ceremony came to a close. Qiao Nian nced at the time and was about to leave when she was stopped by an old man. ¡°Miss Qiao Nian, please wait for a moment.¡± An old man walked up to Qiao Nian and stopped her! Qiao Nian turned to look at the old man. She had a good impression of him. Previously, when everyone was criticizing Qiao Nian relentlessly, only this old man had refrained from attacking her personally, despite his doubts about her. ¡°Sir, may I help you?¡± Qiao Nian asked with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m the dean of the Second Academy of Medicine. Our school will be holding a lecture soon, and I would like to invite Miss Qiao Nian to be a lecturer. Would Second Young Mistress Qiao be free?¡± The old man said with a genteel smile. The Second Academy of Medicine was a famous university. It was ranked second in the country, and was also well-known internationally. No wonder this old gentleman waspletely different from the other onlookers. He was actually the world-famous Director Chen. Qiao Nian hurriedly extended her hand and said politely, ¡°Director Chen, it¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Director Chen asked, ¡°Miss Qiao, may I ask if you have the time to give a lecture to the graduate students of our hospital this year?¡± Qiao Nian suddenly recalled that Jiang Yue seemed to be a student from the Second Academy of Medicine. Those who had the opportunity to give a lecture at the Second Academy of Medicine would be mostly top students who had graduated from that university, and most of them would go on to be big shots in the field. For Director Chen to invite her to be a lecturer was a sincere affirmation of her medical skills, and a supreme honor. Although Qiao Nian didn¡¯t really care about the opinions of the public, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for her to decline Director Chen¡¯s invitation, especially when it came directly from the great man himself. Smiling, she said, ¡°Thank you for your invitation, Director Chen. I¡¯ll definitely be there!¡± ¡°I should be the one thanking you!¡± Qiao Nian smiled and said, ¡°Director Chen, you¡¯re too polite!¡± Qiao Nian spoke a few more words to Director Chen before walking out. Qiao Nian had just walked out of the research institute when Chen Qing, who had been waiting by the side, chased after her. ¡°Madam.¡± Qiao Nian stopped and turned to look at Chen Qing. ¡°Will you be returning to the Gu family vi?¡± Chen Qing asked respectfully. Qiao Nian nodded, humming in assent. ¡°Then I¡¯ll send you back first!¡± Chen Qing said. ¡°What about him?¡± Qiao Nian asked. Chen Qing exined, ¡°Second Young Master still has some things to discuss with Director Lin. He asked me to send you home first!¡± Qiao Nian turned around and looked at the hall in the distance. She saw Director Lin talking to Gu Zhou. Both men had smiles on their faces. It seemed that they would be able toe to an agreement regarding the contract on medical equipment very soon. Gu Zhou seemed to sense something. He looked up, gazing in Qiao Nian¡¯s direction. Their eyes met. Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes were like two bottomless pools of water. His gaze was arresting. Qiao Nian quickly looked away, turning to look at Chen Qing instead. Pretending to be calm, she said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go!¡± Qiao Nian had woken up early today. After getting into the car, she closed her eyes to rest. After she had rested for a short while, her phone suddenly began to ring. Qiao Nian didn¡¯t even bother opening her eyes. With her eyes still closed, she picked up the phone and saidzily, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°You wretched girl! Get back here, right now!¡± Su Xue¡¯s hysterical roar came through the phone. Chapter 131 - 131 Investigation ?131: Investigation 131: Investigation Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian opened her eyes. Her gaze was now tinged with coldness. She said icily, ¡°Mom, if there¡¯s anything, just tell me over the phone!¡± Su Xue¡¯s voice was filled with anger. ¡°You utter wretch! I¡¯m ordering you to go home right this instant! If it weren¡¯t for you, your sister wouldn¡¯t have been humiliated!¡± Although Qiao Nian kept the phone pressed to her ear, Su Xue¡¯s voice was so loud that it was as though Qiao Nian had put the phone on speaker. Su Xue¡¯s hysterical roar reverberated around the entire car. Chen Qing¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened involuntarily. He stared straight ahead, silentlymitting Su Xue¡¯s every word to memory. Qiao Nian gripped her phone tightly, her eyes gradually turning colder. She noticed that Su Xue had used the words ¡°go home¡± instead of e home¡±. Her eyes flickered. ¡°Since you¡¯re not at home, why should I go back?¡± With that, Qiao Nian hurriedly opened WeChat and sent a text to Old A. [Please get me the location of the person who¡¯s currently speaking to me on the phone. I¡¯ll need it now.] Su Xue was clearly gritting her teeth as she spoke. ¡°Are you sure you have the time to ask me where I am? Let me tell you, if you don¡¯t apologize to your sister with enough sincerity, I will never forgive you! I will never let you off the hook, you wretched girl!¡± Chen Qing¡¯s frown deepened. He was going to tell Second Young Master Gu everything he had heard, word for word. Qiao Nian¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. She was already used to Su Xue¡¯s insults. If she cared about what Su Xue said, she would just end up in a bad mood. In fact, Qiao Nian had no desire to continue talking with a lunatic like Su Xue. However, in order to buy time, she continued speaking. ¡°Apologize? Why should I apologize to her? She¡¯s the one who should apologize to me!¡± ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re a beast!¡± Su Xue was livid. ¡°If I¡¯m a beast, then you must be a beast as well. Sometimes, I even wonder if I¡¯m your biological daughter. Otherwise, why would you treat me as your enemy?¡± When Su Xue heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, her heart skipped a beat. With a tinge of guilt in her voice, she cursed, ¡°You wretched girl! Aren¡¯t you getting too big for your boots? You aren¡¯t even taking us to be your parents!¡± Qiao Nian continued staring at her WeChat. Right then, a notification appeared. She opened the message and saw that she had just received Su Xue¡¯s current location. ¡°I think my suspicions are well-founded. Why don¡¯t we do a paternity test some other day?¡± Qiao Nian said, sarcasm dripping from her words. ¡°I¡¯m very disappointed in you. When you get home, I¡¯ll definitely teach you a lesson!¡± With that, Su Xue hung up without hesitation. Sitting in the back seat of the car, Qiao Nian turned to look out of the window, her eyes narrowing slightly. In the past, she had always thought that she was her parents¡¯ biological daughter, and that they had only treated her the way they did because they didn¡¯t like her. But now, she was a little unsure. Because Su Xue had panicked. Although Qiao Nian hadn¡¯t grown up with Su Xue, Su Xue had always been calm andposed when Qiao Nian had seen her. This was the first time she had seen Su Xue panic. ¡°Chen Qing, send me to Feng Yun Gym!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Chen Qing turned on the GPS. Feng Yun Gym was not far away. They arrived in ten minutes. From the car, Qiao Nian looked at the words on the building: Feng Yun Gym. Her beautiful eyes narrowed dangerously. In fact, Qiao Nian hadn¡¯t decided to seek out Su Xue on a whim. Previously, because of the Suranne Grass incident, she had ordered people to keep an eye on Su Xue and Qiao Xin. What puzzled her was that Su Xue often visited this gymnasium. From the impression Qiao Nian had of Su Xue, Su Xue wasn¡¯t someone who liked to work out. Qiao Nian gripped her bag tightly. She wanted to see what Su Xue was doing in the gymnasium. ¡°Wait for me in the car.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Qiao Nian got out of the car and walked into the gymnasium. Immediately, a fitness instructor bulging with muscles came up to greet her warmly, inviting her to apply for a membership. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not here to work out. I¡¯m here to look for someone.¡± Qiao Nian smiled. Her voice was gentle, like springtime sunshine. Chapter 132 - 132 The Truth ?132: The Truth 132: The Truth Editor: As Studios ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to look for my mother. She should be a diamond-tier member here! She even said that she wanted to book a session today and asked me to bring over her bank card.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s smile was very sweet, and her voice was very gentle. Coupled with her exquisitely beautiful face, the man believed her words without a doubt. ¡°May I know your mother¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Su Xue.¡± When the young man heard Su Xue¡¯s name, he immediately said with enthusiasm, ¡°So you¡¯re the precious daughter of the Qiao family. Miss Qiao, Madam Su is in Room 19 in the private area reserved for guests. Just follow this path!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No worries. I¡¯m just doing what I should.¡± When Qiao Nian turned around, the smile on her face instantly vanished. In less than two minutes, Qiao Nian walked to Room 19 in the private area. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on the room number. It was indeed correct. She pressed her ear against the door. The room seemed to be soundproofed, and she couldn¡¯t hear anything. This door was locked with a password. Qiao Nian hurriedly sent a text to Old A, asking him to unlock the password. In less than two minutes, Old A had broken the password lock and opened the door remotely. The owner of Feng Yun Gym specialized in private fitness spaces reserved for members of the upper-ss society, so the security and privacy of the gymnasium were excellent. Every room was very spacious, spanning 200 square meters. Qiao Nian walked in carefully and saw all kinds of fitness equipment in the hall. There was a pool not far away. Not only that, there was also a resting area and bathroom. There was no one in the hall. Qiao Nian walked towards the resting area. From afar, she heard strange noisesing from within the room. Just as Qiao Nian was feeling puzzled, she heard pping soundsing from inside. ¡°Sister Su, you¡¯re really beautiful. I¡¯m going to die because of you!¡± A man¡¯s rough voice came from inside. Su Xue¡¯s sweet voice rang out as well. ¡°Hurry up, then. I haven¡¯t had enough!¡± Qiao Nian froze on the spot, as if she had been struck by lightning. She had never expected Su Xue to be with a gigolo. Qiao Nian felt a wave of nausea. She nearly threw up. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just call your daughter to ask her to return home? Won¡¯t you be in a hurry to return home?¡± The gigolo asked. ¡°Daughter? She doesn¡¯t deserve that title!¡± At the mention of this, Su Xue flew into a rage. She said furiously, ¡°How could I have given birth to a wretch like that?¡± ¡°Sister Xue, don¡¯t be angry. Your health might get worse, and my heart will ache for you if that happens! I¡¯ll serve you well right now. Just lie back and enjoy the sensation!¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Su Xue¡¯s voice seemed to gentle as she spoke. ¡°Faster, faster!¡± ¡­ Qiao Nian stood outside. The expression in her eyes grew colder and colder, and her hands clenched rightly into fists. Qiao Nian quietly stepped out of the room and closed the door again, as if she had never been there. The moment she stepped out of the door, Qiao Nian bumped into the instructor who had weed her warmly. ¡°Miss Qiao, have you seen Madam Su?¡± Qiao Nian looked around. There was no one else around. This meant that only this instructor was aware of what was happening here. Qiao Nian¡¯s expression changed slightly. She took out a cheque from her bag, took out a pen, and wrote a string of numbers on the cheque. Then, she handed it to the coach and said, ¡°This is one million dors. In the future, don¡¯t tell anyone that I came here.¡± The instructor nced at the cheque and looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief. Turning to nce at Su Xue¡¯s room number, he seemed toe to an understanding. One million. This was a huge sum. He had never even seen so much money. A trace of hesitation shed in his eyes, and he shook his head. Smiling politely, he said, ¡°Miss Qiao, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t take the cheque. I¡¯ll take it that I didn¡¯t see you here today.¡± Chapter 133 - 133 Doubts ?133: Doubts 133: Doubts Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian nced at him with aplicated expression. Seeing that he didn¡¯t seem to be a busybody, she put the cheque away. Her gaze was cold. ¡°Remember your promise!¡± Although this sentence couldn¡¯t be considered a threat, it still made the instructor¡¯s heart skip a beat. He hurriedly nodded and said, ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll remember your instructions!¡± Qiao Nian didn¡¯t say anything more. She walked out of the gymnasium. At this moment, Chen Qing, who had been sitting in the car, was still on the phone. He was telling Gu Zhou everything he had heard from the phone call between Su Xue and Qiao Nian. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s finally time for the Qiao family to learn what it means to be sensible.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s voice trailed off, sounding extremely dangerous. Chen Qing was also extremely dissatisfied with Su Xue¡¯s verbal abuse of Qiao Nian. Hearing Gu Zhou¡¯s words, he approved wholeheartedly. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. The things they say to Madam are awful. I can¡¯t stand it!¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s tone was very calm. Chen Qing frowned in confusion. That was it? Was Gu Zhou not going to say anything else? Chen Qing did not dare to ask. Gu Zhou continued impassively, ¡°Now, all you have to do is follow her around. You don¡¯t have to pick me up.¡± Before Chen Qing could reply, Gu Zhou had already hung up. When Chen Qing heard the dial tone, he was momentarily stunned. He was extremely puzzled. Second Young Master Gu had typically always defended Madam, but Second Young Master Gu seemed extremely impassive today. It seemed that he had no intention of defending Madam. While Chen Qing was still in a daze, Qiao Nian walked out of the gym. Chen Qing hurriedly got out of the car and opened the car door for Qiao Nian. Seeing that Qiao Nian¡¯s face was pale and that she was radiating a cold aura, he asked carefully, ¡°Madam, where are we going next?¡± Hatred shed in Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. ¡°The Qiao family house.¡± Chen Qing quickly replied, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± He made a note to himself to investigate Feng Yun Gymter. Chen Qing got back into the car, started it, and drove towards the Qiao family home. Qiao Nian sat in the car. She paid no mind to the scenery outside the car. All she could think about was what Su Xue had just said. Qiao Nian clenched her fists so tightly that the veins on the back of her hands bulged. Perhaps in the eyes of that gigolo, Su Xue didn¡¯t mean what she said. Perhaps the gigolo thought that Su Xue was only speaking out of anger. However, Qiao Nian knew in her heart that that wasn¡¯t the case. Moreover, judging from the gigolo¡¯s reaction, Su Xue had expressed simr sentiments to him many times. She still remembered how every time Su Xue got angry at her, she would always say, ¡°I must have been cursed with bad luck to have raised a wretched child like you!¡± ¡°I raised you painstakingly, but in the end, you¡¯ve grown up into an ingrate!¡± ¡°If I had known that you were like this, I wouldn¡¯t have brought you home back then!¡± ¡­ Wait a minute. This time, Qiao Nian suddenly realized something. Every time Su Xue scolded her, she never used the phrase ¡°give birth¡±. She would only use the word ¡°raise¡±. In the past, she hadn¡¯t thought too much about it, so she hadn¡¯t noticed this detail. But now Qiao Nian finally understood Su Xue¡¯s choice of words. Qiao Nian narrowed her eyes, the coldness in her gaze intensifying. She had to figure out if she truly was a biological daughter of the Qiao family! In twenty minutes, the car arrived at the entrance of the Qiao family¡¯s vi. Qiao Shan seemed to know of Qiao Nian¡¯s visit. He had been waiting at the door since early in the morning. When he saw Qiao Nian getting out of the car, he quickly walked forward. Qiao Nian stood at the side, staring unblinkingly at Qiao Shan¡¯s face. This was the first time she had sized up Qiao Shan¡¯s facial features so seriously. Indeed, not only did she not look like Su Xue, but she also did not look like Qiao Shan. Seeing that Qiao Nian was standing there with no intention of admitting her mistake, Qiao Shan flew into a rage. He aimed a p at Qiao Nian¡¯s face. Qiao Nian continued looking at Qiao Shan intently, not saying a word. Chen Qing was standing at the side. Seeing Qiao Shan¡¯s actions, his expression flickered. Quickly, he stepped forward and grabbed Qiao Shan¡¯s hand. He questioned coldly, ¡°Mr. Qiao, what are you doing? Are you looking down on the Gu family?¡± Qiao Shan was so angry that his blood was boiling. His darling daughter, Qiao Xin, had returned from the research institute in tears. In an aggrieved manner, she had told him everything that had happened there. Chapter 134 - 134 Qiao Shans Anger ?134: Qiao Shan¡¯s Anger 134: Qiao Shan¡¯s Anger Editor: As Studios If Qiao Nian hadn¡¯t caused trouble at the research institute, his darling daughter wouldn¡¯t have made a fool of herself. Now, Su Yan wouldn¡¯t be treating her with disdain either! Qiao Shan¡¯s eyes were red with rage. He red viciously at Chen Qing and roared, ¡°Let go of me! Who do you think you are? I¡¯m dealing with my own daughter. What has that got to do with Gu Zhou?!¡± ¡°Miss Qiao Nian has already married into the Gu family. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s relevant?¡± Chen Qing said coldly. With that, Chen Qing shook off Qiao Shan¡¯s hand forcefully. Qiao Shan was no match for Chen Qing. He staggered two steps back. At this moment, Qiao Xin ran out of the room, sobbing pitifully. She red resentfully at Qiao Nian for a while, then her gaze finallynded on Qiao Shan¡¯s face. ¡°Father, after what happened today, I really can¡¯t meet anyone else. Sister was so ruthless, and humiliated me utterly in front of so many people. She didn¡¯t hold back at all. I can¡¯t live like this! Father, I¡¯m really sorry. I won¡¯t be able to stay by your side any longer. Forgive me for not being a dutiful daughter! If there¡¯s a next life, I¡¯m willing to be your daughter again! I¡¯m sorry!¡± With that, Qiao Xin ran full-tilt towards a tree. Her expression was one of determination and despair. Qiao Shan instantly turned pale in fear. Swiftly, he pulled Qiao Xin back, tears falling from his eyes. ¡°My darling daughter! Qiao Xin, you¡¯re my darling daughter. There must be a way to resolve this matter. Listen to your father. You must live well! Even if we have to go bankrupt, your father will find a way to settle this matter for you!¡± When Qiao Nian heard Qiao Shan¡¯s words, her eyes narrowed dangerously. In the past, she had always thought that Qiao Shan and Su Xue were just biased against her. Now it seemed that there was more to this than she had thought. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t stop me. I really don¡¯t have the dignity to continue living!¡± Qiao Xin cried until she was out of breath. ¡°My darling daughter, my darling daughter, you must not die. If you die, how will your mother and I live?¡± Qiao Shan¡¯s eyes were red. He held on tight to Qiao Xin, worried that Qiao Xin would take things too hard. He vented all his anger on Qiao Nian. Qiao Shan red at Qiao Nian with hatred written all over his face. ¡°You! You heartless and despicable wretch. It was you who brought such suffering to my darling daughter. Even the valuable nts belonging to the Qiao family have been all given away by you. Look at you now! You even hired a bodyguard to protect you. Do you think I won¡¯t dare to hit you just because of this? Servants! Bring me the whip!¡± Qiao Shan was livid. At this moment, a few servants stepped out of the Qiao family home. ¡°Take good care of Qiao Xin.¡± After Qiao Shan handed Qiao Xin over to two of the servants, he said to the remaining servants, ¡°Whip!¡± One of the servants handed over a whip that had been prepared beforehand. Qiao Shan grabbed the whip and pointed it at Qiao Nian. He said to the remaining servants, ¡°The few of you, get this b*tch over here!¡± B*tch. Qiao Nian sneered and clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms. Her palms were already bleeding, but she didn¡¯t seem to feel any pain. The servants rushed towards Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze swept coldly across everyone. She raised her eyebrow, her voice increasing in volume. ¡°Do any of you dare to touch me?¡± At this moment, Qiao Nian¡¯s aura swept across the entire yard. In an instant, the servants who were rushing towards her found themselves subdued. Qiao Shan watched as his servants retreated one by one. He was so angry that his lips were trembling. The whip in his hand cracked in the air. ¡°You¡¯re rebelling. You¡¯re rebelling against your parents! How did I raise a beast like you?!¡± Yet again, the word ¡°raise¡± was used. Indeed, it wasn¡¯t only Su Xue who had never used the phrase ¡°give birth¡±. Qiao Shan hadn¡¯t as well. Something sparked in Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. If she wasn¡¯t a biological part of the Qiao family, perhaps that would be a good thing. ¡°When did you raise me?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Qiao Shan coldly. When Qiao Shan heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, he turned red with anger. ¡°You ingrate! How did I not raise you? Did you grow up on air? You gave away such an expensive nt just like that. Did you even bother to ask me for permission? Do you still remember your parents? You only think of yourself in every scenario. Selfish beast!¡± Chapter 135 - 135 Are You Worthy ?135: Are You Worthy? 135: Are You Worthy? Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian tucked her hair behind her ear and said unhurriedly, ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ve really never witnessed you raising me. I always thought I was an orphan!¡± Qiao Shan was so angry that he choked. Livid, he raged, ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Qiao Nian interrupted Qiao Shan¡¯s words without hesitation. Her tone dripping with ridicule, she said, ¡°I was sent to live in the countryside with a distant rtive, at an age too young to remember anything. What sort of family does that? Did you even pay any child support fees? I don¡¯t think so. If the elderly man who lived next door didn¡¯t take pity on me, and didn¡¯t raise me painstakingly as a child of his own, I would have died a long time ago. You keep saying that you¡¯ve raised me, but when have you ever even taken care of me? You have the nerve to mention that you¡¯ve raised me. You¡¯re truly shameless!¡± Qiao Shan¡¯s expression contorted with rage, his face alternating between shades of green and white. He said furiously, ¡°You ingrate! Did I bring up any of that? I¡¯m talking about those expensive nts and how you bullied your sister today. Your sister usually treats you so well! She even gave you her shares. Yet you¡¯ve embarrassed her today!¡± Qiao Shan rattled off so much in one breath that he nearly couldn¡¯t breathe. Taking a deep breath, he said, ¡°Do you know that after what you¡¯ve done today, your younger sister has be a joke in An City? Don¡¯t you know how to act like an elder sister? Don¡¯t you know how to take care of your younger sister?¡± Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t help butugh. No matter what, Qiao Shan was still harping on those expensive nts and Qiao Xin¡¯s reputation. ¡°Forget about those nts. As long as it belongs to me, Qiao Nian, it has nothing to do with the Qiao family,¡± Qiao Nian said expressionlessly. At this moment, Su Xue returned. The moment she got out of the car, she heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words. At this moment, Su Xue no longer cared that Qiao Nian was the Young Madam of the Gu family. She pounced on Qiao Nian, ready to hit her. But before Su Xue could get close to Qiao Nian, Qiao Nian kicked her away, causing her to fall t on the ground. Seeing Su Xue lying on the ground in a sorry state, Qiao Nian smiled and said, ¡°Mom, did you do something shameful outside? Is that why you came back looking so apologetic?¡± Su Xue, who was lying on the ground, felt her heart skip a beat, but she quickly calmed down. She spat out the mud in her mouth and stood up, wincing from the pain. ¡°You wretch! How dare you hit me? Are you no longer taking me to be your mother?!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze instantly turned icy. A cold smile appeared on her face as she asked, ¡°Are you worthy?¡± When Su Xue heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, her eyes widened to the size of dinner tes. She thought she was hallucinating. ¡°What¡­ what did you say?¡± At this moment, Qiao Xin was also stunned. Qiao Nian seemed to be acting a little strange today. Did Qiao Nian already know that she wasn¡¯t her parents¡¯ biological daughter? This was impossible! No one else knew about this. But Qiao Nian was indeed a little strange today. In the past, Qiao Nian would still acknowledge that she was Su Xue¡¯s biological daughter, at least on the surface level. But now, Qiao Nian no longer bothered even putting on a facade of respect. Qiao Nian red at Su Xue coldly. Thinking of what she had heard in the gym just now, she felt a wave of nausea. She questioned, ¡°How are you fit to be a mother? When have you ever educated me? When have you ever provided for me? If you haven¡¯t, then don¡¯t speak to me as an elder! You¡¯re just a woman who¡¯s several decades older than me!¡± Su Xue stood there in a daze, staring at Qiao Nian in disbelief. She hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to say anything like that. Qiao Shan¡¯s lips trembled in anger. ¡°You¡¯re rebelling! I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± This time, Qiao Shan didn¡¯t show any mercy. Using all his strength, he swung the whip in his hand towards Qiao Nian! Qiao Shan¡¯s strength was immense, and he acted extremely quickly. Chen Qing, who was standing not far away, had no time to react. Chapter 136 - 136 Women Arent Inferior to Men ?136: Women Aren¡¯t Inferior to Men 136: Women Aren¡¯t Inferior to Men Editor: As Studios Chen Qing¡¯s heart jumped to his throat. He was worried that Qiao Nian would be injured, and even more worried that she would be disfigured. However, to Chen Qing¡¯s surprise, Qiao Nian had already moved in front of Qiao Shan in the blink of an eye. Qiao Nian grabbed hold of Qiao Shan¡¯s hand. In a burst of strength, Qiao Shan¡¯s hand was neatly dislocated with a sharp crack. It was so painful that he couldn¡¯t move. Qiao Shan was in so much pain that he dropped the whip in his hand. His face had gone pale, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Chen Qing, who was standing not far away, heaved a sigh of relief. Only then did he remember how Madam had dealt neatly with everyone at Matriarch Shen¡¯s birthday banquet. Madam was truly a heroine! She was the epitome of the statement: Women aren¡¯t inferior to men. Qiao Xin, who was standing not far away, was utterly stunned by this scene. She looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief, muttering, ¡°Qiao Nian, are you crazy? How dare you hit Mom and Dad? Aren¡¯t you afraid that the heavens will punish you? You¡¯ll be struck by lightning!¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t I dare to hit them?¡± Qiao Nian red daggers at Qiao Xin, frightening Qiao Xin so much that she took two steps back. ¡°Even if the gods choose to dole out punishment, the rest of you will be the first to be struck by lightning. You don¡¯t deserve to be a parent if you didn¡¯t bother raising your own children. From now on, I¡¯ll no longer have anything to do with you!¡± In terms of science, she probably wasn¡¯t a biological daughter of the Qiao family! In terms of kinship and affection, the other members of the Qiao family had always treated her extremely coldly. They had never cared for her. Suppressing his pain, Qiao Shan put on his head-of-the-house voice and roared, ¡°How dare you?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± A cold voice rang from the side, the tone raising at the second word. The contempt was very obvious. Everyone looked over and saw Gu Zhou walking over, wearing a well-fitted suit. Gu Zhou had arrived! Chen Qing looked at Gu Zhou in disbelief. Previously, on the phone, Second Young Master hadn¡¯t seemed to care much about Madam¡¯s affairs, yet he had rushed over in such a short time. This was simply unbelievable! Gu Zhou walked up to Qiao Nian, shielding her behind him. His eyes swept coldly across everyone present as he said, ¡°Let¡¯s see who dares to go against anything I say today.¡± It was just a simple sentence, but Gu Zhou¡¯s aura was so powerful and overbearing that one couldn¡¯t help but feel afraid. His voice made one feel as if submission was the only option. Qiao Shan¡¯s hand was aching terribly, but at this moment, he was so frightened by Gu Zhou¡¯s aura that he forgot about the pain. Fury burned in his chest, and his expression darkened to the extreme. Gu Zhou was clearly looking down on the Qiao family. Holding a tissue, Su Xue wiped the dust and mud off her face. Her face turned pale, and she couldn¡¯t say a word of rebuke. Qiao Xin stood not far away, her body trembling non-stop. She hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zhou to protect Qiao Nian. Gu Zhou smelled faintly of medicinal herbs. For some reason, that aroma was strangely pleasing. Qiao Nian hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zhou to arrive so soon either. She looked up at Gu Zhou and asked, ¡°Have you finished discussing all the details regarding the research institute?¡± When Gu Zhou heard Qiao Nian¡¯s voice, he turned to look at her. Instead of answering her immediately, he studied her carefully. Qiao Nian met Gu Zhou¡¯s concerned gaze, and a warm smile appeared in her eyes. Gu Zhou raised his hand and gently removed a leaf on Qiao Nian¡¯s head. In the next moment, he turned around, his expression dark. He red coldly at Qiao Shan and his wife, his brow furrowed. ¡°What have you done to my wife? How dare you bully her when I¡¯m not around?¡± Qiao Xin: ¡°?¡± Su Xue: ¡°?¡± Qiao Shan: ¡°??!!!¡± Heavens, who exactly was bullying whom? Chen Qing, who was standing not far away, forcibly repressed hisughter. In the end, he simply couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. He turned to the side and secretlyughed. Qiao Nian was speechless. Actually, Qiao Nian really wanted to say that she wasn¡¯t a porcin doll. She wasn¡¯t that delicate or fragile. When she fought with Qiao Shan just now, she had already gotten what she wanted. Su Xue stepped forward with a smile. Her face was dirty, but even so, there was a ttering smile on her face. Now that Qiao Nian had married into the Gu family, she didn¡¯t want to lose this money tree. ¡°Second Young Master, you¡¯ve really misunderstood us. We just had a small conflict just now. I spent ten months pregnant with Nian Nian before giving birth to her. How could I bully her? Don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± Chapter 137 - 137 Kneel and Apologize ?137: Kneel and Apologize 137: Kneel and Apologize Editor: As Studios Su Xue swallowed and continued, ¡°Nian Nian has been stubborn ever since she was a child. I just wanted her to take good care of you. I wanted her to ce her focus on taking care of you, not on her work. That made her angry.¡± Qiao Shan had initially wanted to use this opportunity to cut ties with Qiao Nian, but when he heard Su Xue mention work, he realized that Qiao Nian might possess things that were worth even more than Suranne Grass and Moonlight Grass. For the sake of money, Qiao Shan felt that he could give up his dignity. Suppressing the pain, Qiao Shan gave a tragic smile. ¡°Son-inw, you¡¯ve really misunderstood me. How could we bear to bully her?¡± Looking at Qiao Shan and Su Xue¡¯s pretentious faces, Qiao Nian felt a wave of disgust. Gu Zhou did not speak. When Qiao Shan and Su Xue¡¯s faces had already grown stiff from smiling, Gu Zhou turned to look at Chen Qing. ¡°Chen Qing, you tell me.¡± Chen Qing¡¯s eyes lit up. It was finally his turn. Chen Qing stepped forward and cleared his throat. In a vivid manner, he repeated the awful words Su Xue had said to Qiao Nian on the phone. He also acted out in detail the scene of Qiao Shan and Qiao Xin bullying Qiao Nian the moment she had returned to the Qiao family¡¯s residence. Chen Qing felt that his acting skills were off the charts. If he became an actor, he might even receive an Oscar. Nearing the end, Chen Qing began to add his own embellishments. ¡°I won¡¯t repeat the other insults they threw at Madam. After that, Qiao Shan even got the servants to surround Madam. He said that he wanted to break Madam¡¯s legs, pull out her tendons, and skin her alive. He insisted on beating Madam to death. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Madam still had a little ability to protect herself, I¡¯m afraid Madam would have been tortured to the point where only a pile of bones would remain!¡± Qiao Shan: I don¡¯t remember being that fierce?? Su Xue¡¯s face turned red with anger. ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense!¡± Qiao Xin said weakly, ¡°Brother Chen Qing! You can¡¯t embellish the story!¡± Chen Qing straightened his back, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Even if I am embellishing, there must have been something to add embellishments to in the first ce. Besides, I¡¯m just stating the facts. At most, I¡¯m repeating what you all thought deep down.¡± Gu Zhou radiated off a cold aura, causing the people around him to shiver in fear. ¡°Who among these people insulted Madam?¡± Chen Qing¡¯s gaze swept over everyone. Without hesitation, he said loudly, ¡°All of them!¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°In that case, all of you kneel down and apologize to my wife!¡± Qiao Shan froze. What? Asking him to kneel down and apologize to Qiao Nian? How was this possible? His head could be chopped off. His blood could flow. But no matter what, his knees could not touch the ground! Gu Zhou smiled at Qiao Shan and raised his voice. ¡°Why? Are you unwilling?¡± A trace of panic shed across Su Xue¡¯s face. Her body swayed on the spot. If a servant hadn¡¯t been supporting her, she might have copsed. Su Xue said hesitantly, ¡°How¡­ How can you say that? No parent would kneel down and apologize to their daughter¡­¡± ¡°Your daughter?¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°She¡¯s now officially my wife!¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s tone was so forceful that even Qiao Nian was stunned. Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou¡¯s tall and broad figure. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t tell if Gu Zhou was doing this for her or for the sake of the Gu family¡¯s dignity. Qiao Xin gritted her teeth. When she left the research facility today, Brother Su Yan was already giving her the cold shoulder. He had left her on the road, driving off without a backward nce. At that time, she was heartbroken. But how was this fair? How could Qiao Nian be shielded by such a good man like Gu Zhou while her boyfriend Su Yan found her embarrassing to be with? She was clearly more outstanding than Qiao Nian. Why wasn¡¯t anyone protecting her today? ¡°I¡¯ll make this clear today. Qiao Nian is my wife. No matter how big of a mess she has gotten into, I¡¯ll bear the consequences. If any of you dare to say a single word of abuse to her, or eveny a finger on her, don¡¯t me me for being impolite!¡± With that, Gu Zhou turned to look at Chen Qing. ¡°Everyone who insulted Madam. Hit them!¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s tone was arrogant and overbearing, frightening everyone present. Chapter 138 - 138 A Slap ?138: A p 138: A p Editor: As Studios When Qiao Nian heard Gu Zhou¡¯s words, her breath caught in her throat. In that instant, everything around her seemed to fade away. All she could see was Gu Zhou. It was as if something had struck her heart, rippling through her body. Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou¡¯s tall and broad back. Other than her grandfather, he was the only man who had ever defended her like this. Qiao Nian wasn¡¯t the only one who was stunned. Qiao Shan and his family of three were also shocked. Qiao Shan looked at Gu Zhou in disbelief. He didn¡¯t know what kind of drug Qiao Nian had given Gu Zhou to make him be so loyal to her. The corners of Chen Qing¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t help but curve up. He flexed his muscles. He had wanted to beat up those members of the Qiao family for a long time, but he hadn¡¯t dared to act rashly. These people from the Qiao family were simply scum. They belonged to the dregs of society. Their very existence was a waste of space, and their lives were merely a waste of oxygen. However, before Chen Qing could make a move, Gu Zhou stopped him. ¡°Wait.¡± Chen Qing looked at Gu Zhou in confusion. Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. He said, ¡°You should do it. Get your dignity back!¡± Chen Qing gave a small sigh. It was truly a pity that such a good opportunity did not fall into hisp. His Second Young Master was truly treating him better and better. He wouldn¡¯t let Chen Qing do any work. He would even pay Chen Qing a sry every month. As Second Young Master¡¯s bodyguard, he really wanted to do something for Second Young Master, or at least contribute in some way. Unfortunately, he did not have the chance to do so. At this moment, Qiao Shan was dumbfounded. He looked at Gu Zhou in disbelief. Did Gu Zhou want Qiao Nian to hit him personally? It was simply unforgivable for a daughter to strike her father. The heavens would not ept it! She would be struck by lightning! Gu Zhou was clearly trampling on the Qiao family¡¯s dignity. If Qiao Nian hit him, he would be utterly humiliated. How would he continue living in An City? Gu Zhou was trying to ruin him! Before Qiao Nian did anything, Su Xue was already trembling in fear. She could already sense the impression of Qiao Nian¡¯s p on her face. She, Su Xue, had held her head high her entire life. She had never faced any obstacles in getting what she wanted, her entire life. Never had she been wronged so badly! Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes were as red as a rabbit¡¯s. Her gaze fell on Qiao Shan and Su Xue¡¯s pale faces. She bit her lip, the anger in her eyes obvious. All of this was Qiao Nian¡¯s fault! It was Qiao Nian who sided with outsiders instead of their family. She gave away all of their family¡¯s good things, and even squandered the family¡¯s fortune! How could Qiao Nian get Gu Zhou¡¯s protection just by acting innocent? She didn¡¯t deserve it at all! This wasn¡¯t fair. This wasn¡¯t fair at all! Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face, signaling for her to make a move. He exuded a suffocating aura, frightening everyone to the point where they didn¡¯t dare to move. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Gu Zhou¡¯s face, and her heart gradually warmed. Heat flowed through her veins to every part of her body, and her entire body felt warmed from within. Of course, Qiao Nian would never plead on behalf of the Qiao family. Moreover, she had been waiting so long for the opportunity to p them! The first person she wanted to hit was Su Xue. In her high heels, Qiao Nian advanced towards Su Xue step by step. Narrowing his phoenix eyes, Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian¡¯s straightened back. A trace of approval shed in his eyes. The wife of Gu Zhou should indeed look like this. Su Xue¡¯s legs began to tremble involuntarily. Looking at Qiao Nian, who was getting closer and closer, her heart began to race. Qiao Nian had already been violent with her when she had just returned home. She was very certain that Qiao Nian would hit her! Qiao Xin quickly walked up to Su Xue and shielded her behind her. She looked at Qiao Nian angrily and said angrily, ¡°Qiao Nian, you can¡¯t hit Mom. You¡¯ll be struck by lightning. You¡­¡± ¡°Pa!¡± Qiao Nian gave Qiao Xin a resounding p across the face. Since Qiao Xin wanted to protect Su Xue, then she would start with Qiao Xin! Qiao Xin was dumbfounded. She was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t speak. Qiao Nian didn¡¯t hold back at all. She had learned Taekwondo, so the strength behind her p was immense. A purplish-green palm print appeared on Qiao Xin¡¯s pale face. Staring at Qiao Nian, Qiao Xin covered her cheek, her tears falling uncontrobly. Chapter 139 - 139 Qiao Xin Wants to Fight Back ?139: Qiao Xin Wants to Fight Back 139: Qiao Xin Wants to Fight Back Editor: As Studios Hatred shed in Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes as she red viciously at Qiao Nian. If looks could kill, Qiao Nian would have died a thousand times over. The sound of the p rang out, so loud that it might have reached the ends of the earth. Su Xue¡¯s heart began to race. She hurriedly pulled Qiao Xin over and said with heartache, ¡°Oh my god! Xinxin, turn around. Let Mom take a look!¡± Qiao Xin stood rooted to the ground, ring at Qiao Nian with resentment written all over her face. She was the precious daughter of the Qiao family. In the past, her life had always been smooth-sailing. However, this morning, Qiao Nian had ruined her reputation in front of all the big shots in the medical field. Now, she had even pped her in public. The humiliation was so great that she couldn¡¯t even cry. She could only re at Qiao Nian indignantly, full of rage. Qiao Nian stood there calmly. She gently blew on her palm and looked up, the epitome of casualness. ¡°If you¡¯re indignant, then hit me back.¡± Qiao Xin clenched her fists tightly. How could Qiao Nian hit and scold her whenever she wanted? Qiao Nian was clearly a bastard child. That¡¯s right, Qiao Nian was a bastard! Qiao Nian¡¯s mother was a country bumpkin, a woman who amounted to nothing! The more Qiao Xin thought about it, the angrier she became. She was the precious daughter of the Qiao family. She belonged among the elite, while Qiao Nian was just a contemptible woman of low status. Why should she allow Qiao Nian to bully her? Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes burned with rage. She raised her hand and aimed a p at Qiao Nian¡¯s face. Then, her hand was grabbed by Gu Zhou in midair. Gu Zhou exerted strength with his ten fingers. Crack! Immediately following that was the sound of a wrist being dislocated, followed by Qiao Xin¡¯s tragic scream. Gu Zhou let go with a disdainful expression. Qiao Xin staggered back in pain, almost passing out from the agony. When Qiao Shan and Su Xue heard Qiao Xin scream, their hearts ached. They yearned to bear the pain in Qiao Xin¡¯s stead. Gu Zhou took out a tissue and wiped his hands slowly. Then, he threw the tissue aside in disdain, as if there was something dirty on it. There was a dangerous glint in Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes. His gaze swept over the three members of the Qiao family. Turning to Qiao Nian, he said, ¡°Go on.¡± Seeing Gu Zhou like this, the three Qiao family members stood rooted to the ground in fear, not daring to move. Seeing Gu Zhou like this, Chen Qing¡¯s heart surged with emotion. He felt that Second Young Master and Madam were simply carved from the same mold. The two of them were truly a well-matched couple! Just now, Madam had also dislocated Qiao Shan¡¯s wrist, disying her powerful personality. For the rest of his life, he would refuse to take anyone else to be Young Madam Gu! Seeing Qiao Nian flex her wrist, as if she was really going to hit everyone, Qiao Shan couldn¡¯t help but panic. If Qiao Nian really pped him, he would be thoroughly embarrassed today. This wouldn¡¯t do. This wouldn¡¯t do at all. He had to take control of the situation. He would deal with Qiao Nian slowly when he had the chance in the future. At the thought of this, Qiao Shan¡¯s tone softened. A ttering smile appeared on his face as he spoke, attempting to persuade her. ¡°Nian Nian, does your hand hurt? We¡¯re all family. How can we hurt each other? By thew of action and reaction, your hand will hurt when you hit other people! Be good, listen to Dad. Don¡¯t hit anyone again. By the way, you won¡¯t have to move those nts back home anymore.¡± When Qiao Nian heard Qiao Shan¡¯s words, she snorted. ¡°Those nts had nothing to do with you in the first ce. You took my things, yet you¡¯re pretending to be generous. If not you, who else would I hit?¡± ¡°Nian Nian, listen to Dad. Dad won¡¯t harm you. You¡­¡± Before Qiao Shan could finish speaking, Qiao Nian pped him hard across the face. Qiao Shan¡¯s eyes widened. He touched his burning cheek and looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief. Oh my god. Qiao Nian was truly rebelling. His legs gave way. How dare Qiao Nian hit him, her father! This was the first time in Qiao Shan¡¯s life that he had been pped by someone. Moreover, it was by Qiao Nian, this wretched, worthless girl. Chapter 140 - 140 Do It ?140: Do It 140: Do It Editor: As Studios Qiao Shan had been humiliated utterly. He had no dignity left. ¡°You¡­¡± Qiao Shan was so angry that his lips were trembling. ¡°Mr. Qiao Shan, have you forgotten that I no longer have anything to do with the Qiao family?¡± Qiao Nian said calmly. Qiao Xin, who was standing at the side, had already lost her mind. She roared, ¡°Qiao Nian, are you crazy? How dare you act out? This is Dad we¡¯re talking about. Do you still want to hit Mom after hitting Dad?¡± Hearing Qiao Xin¡¯s words, Su Xue hurriedly covered Qiao Xin¡¯s mouth. Her silly daughter. How could she say anything more at a time like this? What if Qiao Nian really stepped forward to hit her? Su Xue¡¯s heart jumped to her throat. She looked at Qiao Nian in fear, meeting her gaze. Su Xue didn¡¯t quite dare to meet Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. She lowered her gaze uneasily. She was already prepared to be pped. At this moment, Su Xue felt as if there was a knife hanging over her head. She didn¡¯t know when this knife would fall. Su Xue waited for a long time. Seeing that Qiao Nian didn¡¯t make a move, she looked up at her. She saw that Qiao Nian had been staring at her the entire time. It was a terrible feeling, and it made her hair stand on end. ¡°I¡¯ll save your beating for another day. Be prepared for it in the future,¡± Qiao Nian said coldly. Once she figured out what the conversation between Su Xue and the gigolo meant, she would get even with Su Xue. Hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Su Xue heaved a long sigh of relief, thinking that she had finally escaped the ordeal. ¡°Chen Qing.¡± Gu Zhou raised his eyebrow, his gaze falling on Su Xue¡¯s face. Chen Qing followed Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze and instantly understood. Su Xue felt a chill run down her spine. She cursed silently when she saw Chen Qing walking towards her. Su Xue stepped back uneasily, but Chen Qing grabbed her by the cor. Chen Qing looked at Su Xue¡¯s sanctimonious face and felt a wave of irritation. He flung a p at her face. Chen Qing¡¯s strength was so great that Su Xue¡¯s neatly arranged hair flew into a mess. At this moment, Su Xue was already seeing stars. Half of her face was swollen, and she didn¡¯t even dare to cry. She looked extremely disheveled. Only then did Gu Zhou retract his gaze in satisfaction. He looked at Qiao Nian and said in a low and maic voice, ¡°Let¡¯s back home. Grandma wants us home for dinner.¡± With that, Gu Zhou took Qiao Nian¡¯s hand and got ready to leave with her. Qiao Xin, who was standing not far away, noted Gu Zhou¡¯s gentle manner towards Qiao Nian. Her eyes couldn¡¯t help but turn red. This kind of quiet happiness should have belonged to her. She couldn¡¯t take this lying down! She wouldn¡¯t go down without a fight! She had to get back the happiness that belonged to her. After Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian left, Qiao Xin¡¯s lips trembled in anger. She said furiously, ¡°Mom, Dad, Qiao Nian has gone too far. How dare she be so arrogant!¡± Qiao Shan was also furious, but he didn¡¯t dare to touch Qiao Nian at all. He was worried that Gu Zhou would interfere with the Qiao family¡¯s business. But Qiao Xin couldn¡¯t think about that. All she could think about was revenge! Qiao Xin said tearfully, ¡°When Big Brotheres back, we must teach Qiao Nian a lesson!¡± When Qiao Shan heard Qiao Xin¡¯s words, his heart skipped a beat, and his lips curved up involuntarily. His eldest son, Qiao Yu, was the most capable child in the Qiao family. If Qiao Yu knew that they had been bullied to such a state by Qiao Nian, he would definitely punish Qiao Nian. The knot in Qiao Shan¡¯s heart gradually loosened. Qiao Xin sobbed as she asked, ¡°Dad, when will Big Brother be back?¡± Qiao Shan raised his hand, and his face turned pale from the pain. However, when he thought of his eldest son, his eyes were filled with pride. ¡°He will definitely return home before the lecture at the Second Academy of Medicine begins.¡± Covering the swollen half of her face, Su Xue smiled. She asked happily, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. He was specially invited by Director Lin to give a speech. No one has received such a great honor in An City!¡± Qiao Shan straightened his back and said proudly. Chapter 141 - 141 Get Out of the Car ?141: Get Out of the Car 141: Get Out of the Car Editor: As Studios Hearing Qiao Shan¡¯s words, Su Xue couldn¡¯t help but smile. She seemed to have forgotten all about the pain. That¡¯s right. Her eldest son, Qiao Yu, was the most promising child in their family. As long as Qiao Yu returned home, Qiao Nian wouldn¡¯t be able to act high and mighty for long. Su Xue had suffered at Qiao Nian¡¯s hands today, and had lost her dignity. No matter what, she would get Qiao Yu to make Qiao Nian pay for what she had done, a thousand times over. ¡­ Qiao Nian sat in the back seat of the car. She stole a nce at Gu Zhou, who was sitting next to her. To be honest, she was not used to Gu Zhou treating her so well. The change was so sudden. At this moment, Gu Zhou was sitting with his legs crossed. His eyes were closed, and his fingers were toying with the ring on his thumb, as if he was musing about something. Even though Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes were closed, the aura around him did not weaken in the least. Gu Zhou¡¯s face was a masterpiece. His features seemed to have been crafted in the heavens. No matter the angle from which one looked at him, one would not be able to take their eyes off him. Qiao Nian gazed unblinkingly at Gu Zhou, momentarily dazed. Gu Zhou¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. His eyshes moved, and he opened his eyes fully. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian, his eyes darkening a shade. Qiao Nian froze. Gu Zhou had his eyes closed the entire time. How did he know that she was staring at him? Qiao Nian coughed awkwardly in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. The tips of her ears gradually turned pink. Gu Zhou realized that Qiao Nian was embarrassed. He couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Mrs. Gu, you don¡¯t have to peek so secretively at me. You¡¯re mywfully wedded wife. You can look at me whenever you want. If you wish, you can stare at me all day.¡± Qiao Nian smiled slightly and said, ¡°You seem to be in a good mood today.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Gu Zhou answered lightly. Now, Gu Zhou no longer gave off that cold hostility. Instead, he gave off a gentle aura. Qiao Nian recalled how Gu Zhou had protected her in front of the Qiao family just now. Her heart began to race, and for some reason, her mouth felt dry. ¡°Thank you for just now,¡± Qiao Nian said with utmost sincerity. Hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Gu Zhou frowned. For some reason, he felt a little displeased. Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes gradually turned cold. He stared unblinkingly at Qiao Nian, enunciating each word clearly as he spoke. ¡°Mrs. Gu, you are my wife and the Young Madam of the Gu family. There¡¯s no need to draw the line between us so clearly. Don¡¯t thank me again.¡± Qiao Nian had always known that Gu Zhou was helping her for the sake of the dignity of the Gu family. But even so, she was still very grateful to Gu Zhou. Because other than her grandfather, Gu Zhou was the only man who had ever protected her. Qiao Nian¡¯s beautiful eyes were filled with stars. She looked at Gu Zhou earnestly. ¡°I understand, but I still want to thank you.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s good mood instantly vanished. His entire body emitted a cold aura, and his voice turned frigid. ¡°Stop the car.¡± Chen Qing looked around and said carefully, ¡°The sky is already dark, and we¡¯re still far from the city. What if we encounter bandits?¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s expression darkened. His eyes were like two jet-ck pools of ink, containing not even a trace of light. ¡°Stop the car!¡± Chen Qing looked up carefully. Through the rearview mirror, he took in the two people sitting in the backseat. Second Young Master Gu, who could frighten anyone to the point where they would be a trembling mess. Young Madam Gu, who could beat the shit out of anyone. Indeed, neither of them would be worried about the possibility of bandits. Chen Qing hesitated for a moment. Sensing the oppressive aura Gu Zhou was exuding, he silently parked the car by the road. ¡°Get out of the car!¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s voice was as cold as ice. Chen Qing¡¯s hands, which were holding onto the steering wheel, trembled slightly. Second Young Master Gu had taken such good care of Madam just now. Gu Zhou¡¯s words were probably directed at him. ¡°Then¡­ then should I get out first?¡± Chen Qing probed carefully. ¡°Stay seated.¡± Qiao Nian was slightly stunned. She turned to look at Gu Zhou and saw his dark expression. Did Gu Zhou want her to get out of the car? Gu Zhou had clearly been in a good mood just now. Why had his mood changed for the worse so quickly? ¡°You! Get out of the car!¡± Gu Zhou turned to look at Qiao Nian with narrowed eyes. Chen Qing: ¡°??!!!¡± Qiao Nian: ¡°?¡± Chapter 142 - 142 Why Did You Say Thank You ?142: Why Did You Say Thank You 142: Why Did You Say Thank You Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian didn¡¯t know what she had said to anger Gu Zhou. She opened the door and got out of the car without hesitation, mming the door shut without looking back. The moment she closed the door, the car began to move. Qiao Nian really hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zhou to abandon her in the wilderness! Qiao Nian watched as the car drove further and further away, and realized that Gu Zhou was really going to leave her behind. She was speechless. How could this man be happy for one moment, then immediately fly into a rage the next? He changed his moods even faster than a child! In the car, Chen Qing shrank under the overwhelming pressure. He was trembling. His hands were covered in cold sweat. As he watched the figure of Qiao Nian grow smaller and smaller, the unease in his heart grew. ¡°Um, Master Gu, Young Madam might be afraid of the dark. Should we turn back and pick her up?¡± Chen Qing asked tentatively. The cold aura around Gu Zhou intensified. ¡°Are you so eager to invite humiliation?¡± Chen Qing: ¡°?¡± Chen Qing didn¡¯t understand at all. How would his Master Gu be humiliated within his own family? Moreover, with Madam¡¯s capability, she would definitely find a cab within minutes. Chen Qing kept quiet, and continued driving. ¡°Turn back.¡± Chen Qing¡¯s hands trembled. His intelligence must be a littlecking. He couldn¡¯t understand what Master Gu was trying to say at all. ¡°Go back!¡± Chen Qing: Didn¡¯t he say that he wasn¡¯t going to invite humiliation? Wasn¡¯t this doing the exact opposite? Chen Qing did not dare to voice his thoughts, much less ask Master Gu what he was doing. ¡­ The sky was already fully dark, and the streetlights emitted a dim light. Qiao Nian took out her phone. She felt that it might be dangerous for her to remain here any longer. She got ready to call someone to pick her up. She would definitely settle scores with Gu Zhou when she got back. Just as she took out her phone, a car suddenly stopped near her. The car¡¯s headlights were still on, and the lights were so bright that she could barely keep her eyes open. Instinctively, Qiao Nian raised a hand to shield her eyes. At this moment, Chen Qing turned off the headlights. Gu Zhou got out of the car and walked towards Qiao Nian. With great foresight, Chen Qing had stopped the car about one hundred meters away from Qiao Nian, leaving room and privacy for her and Gu Zhou. Seeing that Gu Zhou had arrived, a trace of confusion shed in Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. With a displeased expression, she questioned, ¡°Gu Zhou, what exactly are you doing?¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s face was slightly flushed from anger, and the rage in her eyes was clearly visible. She looked like a furious kitten. Her anger was strangely adorable, making one feel the urge to pet her head. Suppressing his desire to touch Qiao Nian¡¯s head, Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze inadvertently fell on her pouting lips. His eyes darkened by several shades. When Gu Zhou didn¡¯t reply, Qiao Nian frowned. With displeasure written all over her face, she said, ¡°What exactly are you doing?¡± Gu Zhou ced his right hand in his pocket and looked down at Qiao Nianmandingly. ¡°You¡¯re my wife.¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve already registered our marriage!¡± Qiao Nian thought to herself that when she had finished dealing with the rotten Qiao family, and when Gu Zhou had recovered, she would be able to divorce Gu Zhou. Gu Zhou narrowed his phoenix-like eyes, a trace of coldness appearing in them. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, why did you still thank me?¡± Qiao Nian was speechless. Gu Zhou had chased her off the car in a rage just now because she had thanked him. Qiao Nian was a little confused. What kind of logic was Gu Zhou following? Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou in confusion. ¡°Isn¡¯t thanking you a basic courtesy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need you to be courteous to me.¡± When Qiao Nian heard Gu Zhou¡¯s words, she was a little stunned. She hesitated for a while, then asked, ¡°Did youe back just to tell me this?¡± ¡°Come home with me!¡± Qiao Nian: Then what exactly was he trying to achieve? Was he trying to make her stop thanking him? Gu Zhou¡¯s way of thinking was truly iprehensible to ordinary people. Qiao Nian waspletely at a loss as to how to deal with Gu Zhou. She pursed her lips. She couldn¡¯t be bothered to ask any more questions. Chapter 143 - 143 Touched ?143: Touched 143: Touched Editor: As Studios Gu Zhou waved at Chen Qing, who was in the car not far away. Chen Qing hurriedly drove over. After parking the car, he hurriedly got out and opened the door. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Gu Zhou¡¯s face. Seeing that Gu Zhou had defended her today, she decided not to make a fuss. Hence, she got into the car. Chen Qing was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, driving. He snuck a nce at Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian in the rearview mirror. His lips curved up slightly. It seemed that Master Gu¡¯s feelings for his wife had changed. In the past, Master Gu had never been one to chase after women¡­ When Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian returned to the Gu family vi, Qiao Nian was called away by Matriarch Gu immediately. Matriarch Gu said that there was something very important. Matriarch Gu brought Qiao Nian to her office and said excitedly, ¡°Come in quickly. I have a huge matter to discuss with you!¡± Qiao Nian saw that there was a lot of fabric in Matriarch Gu¡¯s office. There was also a sewing machine and a workbench beside it. Matriarch Gu smiled at Qiao Nian and said gently, ¡°Nian Nian, you¡¯ve arrived at the right time. Come over quickly, I¡¯ll help you take your measurements.¡± Zhao Qian, who had been standing at the side, froze for a moment. After a beat, she smiled at Qiao Nian. ¡°Second Sister-inw, good evening.¡± Smiling, Qiao Nian greeted Zhao Qian. ¡°Qian Qian, where¡¯s the tape measure?¡± Matriarch Gu smiled at Zhao Qian. Zhao Qian hurriedly brought the tape measure over. Matriarch Gu was in a very good mood. With a smile on her face, she said, ¡°I knew your figure the moment I saw you. However, in order to make a gown that will fit you better, I n to take your measurements more precisely.¡± When Qiao Nian heard Matriarch Gu¡¯s words, a trace of emotion shed in her eyes. Before Matriarch Gu retired, she had been a world-renowned fashion designer. Celebrities would fight among themselves just to get their hands on a dress Matriarch Gu had designed. Moreover, there were rumors that Matriarch Gu had once helped her daughter-inw make an embroidered wedding gown. The value of that gown had skyrocketed to an immense amount. Not only that, but that wedding gown had be the favorite of people all around the world, and still retained that status today. Seeing Matriarch Gu taking her measurements seriously, Qiao Nian felt a warmth in her heart. She said, ¡°Grandma, you haven¡¯t recovered yet. Don¡¯t go to so much trouble. It will consume too much of your energy. It won¡¯t be good for your health.¡± When Matriarch Gu heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, she said with emotion, ¡°My darling child, I knew you would say that. You¡¯re just too concerned about me.¡± Matriarch Gu paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°After what happened thest time, I¡¯ve learned one thing. When one is alive, one should not leave behind any regrets. I want to make a perfect gown for you in my lifetime.¡± ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t attend banquets. I don¡¯t need evening gowns,¡± Qiao Nian said gently. ¡°Child, you¡¯re really humble. I heard from Ah Zhou that you¡¯ll be giving a speech at the Second Academy of Medicine as a lecturer. It¡¯s such an important event! You can¡¯t continue keeping a low profile there. I hope that you¡¯ll wear the gown I¡¯ve made for you. When the timees, you¡¯ll be the center of attention, and everyone will know how outstanding you are,¡± Matriarch Gu said earnestly. When Qiao Nian heard this, her eyes grew hot. If she had felt some warmth in her heart before, she was even more touched now. Although Matriarch Gu was not her biological grandmother, she took Qiao Nian to be her own granddaughter and treated her so well. Qiao Nian¡¯s thin lips moved slightly. ¡°Grandma.¡± She still wanted to thank Matriarch Gu, but the words were stuck in her throat. Her eyes were a little watery as she smiled and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to Grandma. I¡¯ll definitely surpass everyone else in beauty at the lecture. I¡¯ll stun everyone!¡± When Matriarch Gu heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, she smiled so happily that her eyes curved into crescents. Chapter 144 - 144 Showing Off ?144: Showing Off 144: Showing Off Editor: As Studios ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Alright, I¡¯ve already taken the measurements I need.¡± As Matriarch Gu spoke, she jotted down all the data she had measured. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Matriarch Gu¡¯s face, and her heart warmed. However, she was still very worried about Matriarch Gu¡¯s health. ¡°Grandma, the speech will be in five days. If you n on making me a new gown, time will be rather tight, and I¡¯m afraid your health won¡¯t be able to take it. If you¡¯re even a little unwell, let me know at once, okay?¡± Qiao Nian smiled at Matriarch Gu. She couldn¡¯t bear to reject Matriarch Gu¡¯s good intentions. When Matriarch Gu heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, she smiled so wide that her eyes nearly disappeared. ¡°My darling child, you¡¯re Grandma¡¯s favorite!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make some herbal soup for you.¡± Qiao Nian smiled gently at Matriarch Gu. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t tire yourself out.¡± Matriarch Gu looked at Qiao Nian dotingly. After Qiao Nian left Matriarch Gu¡¯s office, Zhao Qian helped Matriarch Guy out the fabric neatly. With Qiao Nian¡¯s measurements as a guide, Matriarch Gu began snipping the fabric excitedly. ¡°Grandma, after making Sister Jiang Yue¡¯s evening gown, you¡¯ll still have to make one for Second Sister-inw. Will you be too tired? Why don¡¯t I make Sister Jiang Yue¡¯s gown for you?¡± Zhao Qian smiled at Matriarch Gu. Matriarch Gu looked at Zhao Qian with a smile and said, ¡°I know you¡¯re concerned for me. I¡¯m not nning to make an evening gown for Jiang Yue. This one is for Nian Nian.¡± Zhao Qian¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She looked at the small diamonds scattered about not far away. These diamonds were all cut from arge diamond as big as one¡¯s palm. Puzzled, she asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Sister Jiang Yue like diamonds the most?¡± ¡°Yes, I know, but I made these for Nian Nian.¡± Zhao Qian recalled in shock that these small diamonds were originally one palm-sized diamond. Under the sunlight, it would reflect multicolored light, highlighting its lustrous beauty. It was truly a priceless treasure. Back then, when Jiang Yue had seen this diamond, she had even specially expressed her liking for it. That was why Zhao Qian thought that Matriarch Gu was helping Jiang Yue make an evening gown. Jiang Yue would also be attending that lecture. ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re the best. Second Sister-inw was especially touched just now!¡± Zhao Qian smiled, even as a trace of worry shed in her eyes. If Jiang Yue knew about this, she might be unhappy. Zhao Qian¡¯s words pleased Matriarch Gu, who was smiling. At this moment, in a cafe. Jiang Yue took a leisurely sip of her coffee, then put her cup back onto the saucer. She smiled at the woman across from her. ¡°I¡¯m really looking forward to the speech.¡± ¡°Goodness, is the diamond you¡¯re talking about really the size of a palm? Any diamond thatrge must look absolutely stunning. Gosh, your grandmother is so good to you. I¡¯ve never seen such a beautiful diamond in my life. Are you really going to wear that diamond to the speech?¡± Liu Yu looked at Jiang Yue excitedly. Jiang Yue gave an unruffled smile and said, ¡°I believe that when you see it, you won¡¯t be able to resist its charm.¡± ¡°Jiang Yue, your grandmother really dotes on you. She was willing to buy you such arge diamond, and is even personally designing a gown for you. Goodness, how is your grandmother so nice? I want such a high-quality gown too.¡± Jiang Yue smiled, not taking Liu Yu¡¯s words to heart. She had long been used to it. Her grandmother had always treated her very well. All the evening gowns she had worn in the past had been specially made for her by her grandmother, so this was already amon urrence for her. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t want Grandma to make a gown for me anymore.¡± Jiang Yue sighed softly and said with a pained expression, ¡°Her health isn¡¯t good. She should rest more, but every time I try to persuade her, she won¡¯t listen. There¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± ¡°Yue Yue, I¡¯m sure Madam Gu knows of your filial piety. I¡¯m still looking forward to that day. A gown made of expensive diamonds. It¡¯ll look amazing!¡± Jiang Yue pursed her lips and smiled. She really hadn¡¯t expected Grandma to take out the diamond Jiang Yue had always liked, just in time for her graduation. Jiang Yue had thought that Grandma might have forgotten about her because of Qiao Nian¡¯s arrival. Now, it seemed that she was Grandma¡¯s favorite granddaughter after all. Qiao Nian was just a granddaughter-inw. Perhaps Grandma would chase Qiao Nian out soon! Chapter 145 - 145 Broaden Her Horizons ?145: Broaden Her Horizons 145: Broaden Her Horizons Editor: As Studios ¡°Yue Yue, I¡¯ve suddenly remembered something. Is that woman still staying at your house?¡± Liu Yu asked, looking perplexed. ¡°She hasn¡¯t left.¡± Jiang Yue pursed her lips. When she thought of Qiao Nian, the light in her eyes dimmed involuntarily. She continued, ¡°She stayed behind to treat Grandma¡¯s illness.¡± Liu Yu was slightly stunned. Her eyes immediately filled with disdain. She spoke, ¡°Treating Grandma? Yue Yue, are you joking? You¡¯re also a top student in the medical academy, and you¡¯re certified to be a doctor. You can treat your grandmother yourself, right? Why are you letting outsiders treat your grandmother?¡± Jiang Yue smiled and said, ¡°She¡¯s quite capable. Moreover, Grandma trusts her a lot.¡± Liu Yu frowned. When she spoke to persuade Jiang Yue, she sounded as though she had a lot of experience dealing with matters like these. ¡°Yue Yue, I¡¯m not trying to be a busybody. However, I think that since she¡¯s already moved into your house, you should be more careful. You have to know that many girls nowadays would go to great lengths to marry into a rich family, but if they want to truly be a part of an elite family, the first thing they have to do is to please the elderly matriarchs or patriarchs.¡± The smile on Jiang Yue¡¯s face froze for a moment. Then, she smiled again and said, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not asplicated as you think. Moreover, she will be attending this speech as well. Then, you¡¯ll be able to meet her.¡± Liu Yu looked at Jiang Yue with her face full of worry, saying helplessly, ¡°Yue Yue, you¡¯re too kind. You don¡¯t have an ounce of vignce. By the way, why is she attending our lecture? In what capacity will she be attending?¡± Jiang Yue said hesitantly, ¡°It might have been Grandma who wanted me to take her there. She said that it would broaden her horizons.¡± Hearing Jiang Yue¡¯s words, Liu Yu¡¯s eyes widened to the size of dinner tes. She quickly said, ¡°Yue Yue, you¡¯re so naive. If someone kidnaps you and sells you, you¡¯ll be the one helping them count the money.¡± Jiang Yue smiled, shaking her head. ¡°Surely it¡¯s not as serious as that?¡± ¡°Yue Yue, I¡¯m telling you. If your grandmother said that, it means that she likes her very much. That¡¯s not a good thing.¡± Liu Yu said earnestly, ¡°Do hurry up and tell me her name. I¡¯ll get my uncle to help you investigate her background. My uncle is a top-notch hacker. If you want to investigate someone, he¡¯ll be able to find information on every single one of their ancestors for you.¡± Jiang Yue¡¯s hand, which was holding the cup, paused for a moment. She looked up. ¡°That isn¡¯t appropriate!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just check up on her for you. What¡¯s wrong with that? We¡¯re not doing anything to her,¡± Liu Yu said. ¡°Moreover, if we investigate thoroughly, we¡¯ll be able to confirm whether she¡¯s a threat to your grandmother. This is also for the sake of your grandmother¡¯s safety.¡± Jiang Yue lowered her gaze, thinking hard. After a long moment of hesitation, she said, ¡°Qiao Nian.¡± When Liu Yu heard Jiang Yue¡¯s words, she hurriedly took out her phone and sent the name to her uncle. She left a message: [Uncle, help me investigate someone called Qiao Nian. The sooner, the better. See if you can get any dirt on her.] After Liu Yu sent the message, she smiled at Jiang Yue and said, ¡°Alright, this matter has been settled.¡± Jiang Yue gave a faint smile and lowered her gaze. Her long, sweeping eyshes hid the coldness in her eyes. ¡°Yue Yue, I think it¡¯s better if you treat your grandmother¡¯s illness yourself. That way, she won¡¯t have anything to do with your family, and she can leave your house as soon as possible,¡± Liu Yu reminded her kindly. Jiang Yue nodded with a smile. Actually, she had been studying Grandma¡¯s illness as well. ¡­ For the next few days, Jiang Yue spent all her time working on the script she would need for her speech. This would be the first time she ever stood on a stage to give a speech. The honor was immense, and it belonged to her. She would not allow herself to make any mistakes. Matriarch Gu was no longer willing to leave the house either. There were many areas in the gown that required sewing by hand. Wearing a pair of reading sses, she was sewing the gown together bit by bit. Chapter 146 - 146 Calm ?146: Calm 146: Calm Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian wasn¡¯t too concerned about the speech she would have to give in a few days. She spent most of her time in the garden with her nts. asionally, she would go to the research institute to teach Lin Tao how to cultivate nts and conduct experiments. Qiao Nian stood at the side. Under her guidance, Lin Tao had already transnted a potted nt. Lin Tao¡¯s face was now speckled with dirt. After washing her face, Lin Tao smiled at Qiao Nian and asked curiously, ¡°You have a speech tomorrow. Are you nervous?¡± Qiao Nian jotted down some data in her notebook, then closed it and looked up at Lin Tao. ¡°What¡¯s there to be nervous about? I¡¯m just going to give them some tips on how to cultivate nts.¡± Lin Tao looked at Qiao Nian like she was looking at a monster. ¡°That¡¯s the Second Academy of Medicine you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Lin Tao in confusion. ¡°Will there be mutants present?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± Lin Tao said. ¡°But all the big shots in the medical field will be at the lecture. Aren¡¯t you nervous at all?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not nervous.¡± Qiao Nian nced at the potted nt. ¡°By the way, this nt doesn¡¯t quite like water. Don¡¯t water her for the rest of the week.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll remember everything,¡± Lin Tao said with a smile. Qiao Nian carefully inspected the other nts. Seeing that there was nothing wrong with them, she said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head home first. If you need anything in the future, call me.¡± ¡°Alright, take care.¡± When Qiao Nian left the research institute, she received a call as soon as she got into her car. When she heard from the other end that someone was investigating her, a trace of confusion shed across her face. ¡°Who¡¯s investigating me?¡± Qiao Nian asked, frowning. ¡°Liu Hai.¡± Qiao Nian was slightly stunned. She had never heard this name before. ¡°What does he do?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a nobody in the hacker world. Do you want me to interfere?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Any information he¡¯ll be able to find is information I¡¯m willing to let others know.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes shed. She continued, ¡°Take note of who he¡¯s giving the information to.¡± After Qiao Nian hung up, she drove home. Qiao Nian had just arrived home when the butler greeted her. ¡°Second Young Madam, Matriarch Gu wants you to visit her study.¡± Qiao Nian nodded and walked directly to Matriarch Gu¡¯s study. She knocked on the door. ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Matriarch Gu¡¯s voice came from inside. Qiao Nian pushed the door open and entered. She immediately saw the gown on the counter. With just one look, Qiao Nian was stunned. Matriarch Gu hurriedly pulled Qiao Nian over and urged her to put it on. Holding the gown, Qiao Nian walked into the fitting room. She stepped out wearing the gown. This gown showed off every inch of Qiao Nian¡¯s lovely figure, and even set off her unique aura. Elegant, refined, exquisite, and luxurious. The gown exuded an air of wild sultriness, yet retained a sense of cold refinement. It was incredibly alluring¡­ What surprised her the most was that the diamonds sewn into the gown did not look tacky at all. It was as though she was wearing the resplendent night sky. At this moment, Qiao Nian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. This gown was truly beautiful. It was indeed a gown designed by a designer well-known all over the world. Matriarch Gu looked at Qiao Nian in the gown, her eyes filled with satisfaction. She couldn¡¯t help but smile. She had designed many clothes in her lifetime, and all kinds of models had worn her clothes, but none of them had been able to express her designs perfectly. However, after Qiao Nian put on the gown, she expressed the beauty of the gown exactly how Matriarch Gu wanted. Not only that, but this gown also set off her aura. Oh, wow. Her grandson was truly blessed! To be able to marry such a drop-dead gorgeous beauty like Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian looked at herself in the fitting mirror. She had to admit that this was the most beautiful andfortable gown she had ever worn. Even though she had yet to style her hair or do her make-up, the person in the mirror already looked very beautiful. Chapter 147 - 147 The Gown ?147: The Gown 147: The Gown Editor: As Studios ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Before Qiao Nian could finish her sentence, Matriarch Gu stepped out of the room. Just as Qiao Nian was about to chase after her, she heard Matriarch Gu say loudly, ¡°Nian Nian, don¡¯t change out of the gown yet. Wait for me.¡± Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t help but smile. In reality, Matriarch Gu was just like a child. Sometimes, she was especially adorable, as if age didn¡¯t matter to her at all. In just three minutes, Matriarch Gu ran in holding a DSLR. Her face was slightly flushed from the exercise. ¡°Nian Nian, stand beside the wardrobe and pose. A casual one will do. I¡¯ll take a photo for you.¡± As Matriarch Gu spoke, she hurriedly switched on the camera in her hand. Seeing how happy Matriarch Gu was, Qiao Nian didn¡¯t want to sour her mood. Obediently, she began to pose. Matriarch Gu¡¯s eyes lit up. Holding the camera, she began taking photographs of Qiao Nian from all angles. No matter the angle from which the photograph was taken, Qiao Nian was still beautiful. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian had yet to officially announce their marriage to the public, Matriarch Gu would have used this photograph to publicize their marriage everywhere she went. Then, she would have told the entire world that her granddaughter-inw was the beautiful fairy-like maiden in the photograph. Matriarch Gu couldn¡¯t help but smile. After taking the photographs, she said to Qiao Nian, ¡°Change out of the gown first. I¡¯ll iron it tomorrow, then get someone to send it to the banquet.¡± Qiao Nian smiled and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± After Qiao Nian entered the changing room, the smile on her face gradually faded. If she were to appear at the lecture wearing this gown, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the entire world knew about it. Perhaps, it would even be named as the world¡¯s best-designed evening gown. That was enough to prove Matriarch Gu¡¯s talent in fashion design. Moreover, the fact that Matriarch Gu was giving her this gown to wear to the lecture also meant that Matriarch Gu really liked her, and doted on her greatly. If Matriarch Gu knew that she was leaving the Gu family soon, then Matriarch Gu¡­ Qiao Nian didn¡¯t dare to think further. The only thing she could do now was treat Matriarch Gu¡¯s heart disease. ¡­ At noon the next day, the speech ceremony of the Second Academy of Medicine officially began. Apart from prominent professors and outstanding students from the Second Academy of Medicine, there were also professionals from variousrge research institutes, including the medical research institute, present at the ceremony. Not only that, but there were also some famous doctors from private hospitals. This was because after graduating from the Second Academy of Medicine, alumni would not only work in national hospitals, but also in private hospitals. This ceremony provided an opportunity for current students to interact with the big shots in the medical field as well. Of course, some of the guests were also investors belonging to high society. Qiao Nian stepped in and saw that everyone inside was chatting andughing. Gazing over, she saw Gu Zhou in the crowd. Gu Zhou was walking in, wearing a well-tailored suit. His phoenix-like eyes swept around, and he inadvertently met her gaze. The two of them looked at each other across the sea of people. Gu Zhou gave off a cold and unapproachable aura, as if he was an otherworldly spirit belonging to another dimension. Qiao Nian hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zhou to be here today as well. However, she recalled that Gu Zhou had reached an agreement with Director Lin regarding the research institute. It was only natural that he woulde today. Suddenly, a scream came from afar. ¡°Oh my god, that man is so handsome!¡± ¡°He looks like a male god!¡± ¡°He¡¯s practically a walking sack of hormones!¡± ¡°Oh my god, I want to give birth to his child now.¡± ¡­ The elite in An City all knew one another. The investors among the crowd looked at Gu Zhou in confusion. ¡°Second Young Master Gu has beening out of his house quite oftentely.¡± ¡°I think so. Has he recovered?¡± ¡°I heard that his illness is incurable. He must have stayed at home for too long. He doesn¡¯t want to live the rest of his life in a lifeless state, so that must be why he oftenes out to experience the world.¡± ¡­ When Qiao Nian heard these words, her brow furrowed imperceptibly. Chapter 148 - 148 Hes Here ?148: He¡¯s Here 148: He¡¯s Here Editor: As Studios Although she knew that these people bore no ill intentions, she still felt a little ufortable listening to them speak. An outstanding man like Gu Zhou should not have his life cut short, nor should he be the target of dinnertime gossip. When she got home tonight, she would definitely think of a way to treat Gu Zhou¡¯s illness. ¡°Nian Nian.¡± Lin Tao finally saw Qiao Nian. She picked up her skirts and ran towards her. Lin Tao saw that Qiao Nian was dressed very casually today. If one didn¡¯t take a careful look, one would think that she was a member of the service staff here. Lin Tao said disapprovingly, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing an evening gown? That¡¯ll be rude.¡± Qiao Nian smiled and exined, ¡°My gown is on the way here. I¡¯ll change into it when we get there.¡± Most people would choose to change into their evening gowns when the banquet started. As it was still early, no one would notice her either. At this moment, there was a suddenmotion in the crowd. Qiao Nian and Lin Tao looked in the direction that everyone was looking. When Qiao Nian saw the neer¡¯s face, she couldn¡¯t help but frown. Her breathing quickened. Certain memories she didn¡¯t want to recall appeared in her mind¡¯s eye all of a sudden. Qiao Nian took a deep breath, trying hard to calm her breathing. Whenever she saw him, she would feel ufortable. Qiao Yu. Why had he returned? Surprisingly, she hadn¡¯t heard anything to do with his arrival. Qiao Xin, who was wearing a pink gown, walked in with Qiao Yu. Qiao Xin stood beside Qiao Yu and took his arm. She raised her chin proudly, as though she had recovered the dignity she had lost previously. Lin Tao was slightly stunned. She turned to look at Qiao Nian. ¡°Nian Nian, your brother is here!¡± Qiao Yu looked the same as before. He was wearing a well-tailored suit, gold-rimmed sses, and had his hairbed back. He seemed like an exceptionally rigid person, even dull, but his eyes were filled with ruthlessness. Qiao Yu had a gentle and refined smile on his face. From afar, he looked like a polite gentleman. But Qiao Nian knew that this man was definitely not as simple as he seemed. If she hadn¡¯t seen Qiao Yu again, she would have practically forgotten about him. Gu Zhou sensed that something was wrong with Qiao Nian¡¯s expression as she looked at Qiao Yu. His eyes darkened slightly. Qiao Yu, who had just entered, also glimpsed Qiao Nian. He walked towards her and stopped in front of her, looking down at her with contempt. ¡°You¡¯ve grown up.¡± Qiao Yu¡¯s voice was cold. He looked at Qiao Nian if he were looking at a stray dog. Qiao Nian hated it when Qiao Yu acted like this. He was so high and mighty, and treated her as if she were less than human. She still remembered how Qiao Yu had looked at her like this when she was five. Qiao Xin had a smug smile on her face. She could naturally sense Qiao Nian¡¯s shock and dazedness uponing face to face with Qiao Yu. She could also sense the strong aura Qiao Yu was exuding. At this moment, Qiao Xin¡¯s vanity had gone off the charts. Qiao Xin felt that Qiao Nian was just Qiao Nian¡ªa cheap woman who belonged to the lower ss. She would never be a presentabledy. Qiao Nian wasn¡¯t even wearing an evening gown today. She looked just like a waiter. How humiliating! With a cold smile on her face, Qiao Xin asked, ¡°Sister, Brother is back. Do you want to go home for dinner tonight?¡± Qiao Yu stared unblinkingly at Qiao Nian. His expression seemed to be forcing Qiao Nian to agree. ¡°I¡¯m just staying for a few days¡­¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t have time.¡± A low, hoarse voice interrupted Qiao Yu. That voice was calm, and the powerful aura in his words stunned everyone present. For some reason, Qiao Nian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She turned to look at Gu Zhou, who was standing behind her. All her attention was on Qiao Yu just now, and she didn¡¯t notice that Gu Zhou had already arrived. When Qiao Yu faced Gu Zhou, he showed no signs of backing down. Indeed, he did not seem frightened at all. Instead, he asked, ¡°Mr. Gu, what right do you have to restrict her freedom?¡± Chapter 149 - 149 Paternity Test ?149: Paternity Test 149: Paternity Test Editor: As Studios Gu Zhou¡¯s lips curved up slightly. He was in an excellent mood, but when he spoke, his words dripped with sarcasm. ¡°What right? Qiao Yu, you think too highly of yourself.¡± With that, Gu Zhou walked over to Qiao Yu and whispered something into his ear. No one knew what Gu Zhou had said, but everyone saw Qiao Yu¡¯s face turn pale in an instant. His brow furrowed deeply. Qiao Nian was slightly stunned when she saw Qiao Yu¡¯s expression change. This was the first time she had seen someone who could make Qiao Yu turn pale. Qiao Xin was sensitive enough to sense that something was off with the atmosphere. Worried that Gu Zhou and Qiao Yu would start fighting, she tried to change the subject. Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes darted to the cake not far away. After a beat, she looked at Qiao Yu, speaking in the manner of a spoiled child. ¡°Brother, I feel like eating cake. Will you go with me now?¡± Qiao Yu gave Qiao Nian a meaningful look, then patted Qiao Xin¡¯s head dotingly. ¡°Okay.¡± With that, Qiao Yu left with Qiao Xin. Qiao Nian had always known that Qiao Yu loved spoiling his younger sister, and would ede to her any request. It was just that Qiao Yu didn¡¯t like Qiao Nian one bit. Gu Zhou walked over to Qiao Nian and his gaze fell on her face. ¡°Where¡¯s your gown?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be here in a while.¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou curiously and asked in confusion, ¡°What did you say to him just now?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Gu Zhou didn¡¯t want to let Qiao Nian know what he had said. Qiao Nian didn¡¯t ask further. She turned back to look at Qiao Yu¡¯s retreating back, her breathing a little uneven. ¡°Qiao Nian.¡± Gu Zhou called her by her full name, his voice low and hoarse. ¡°Yes?¡± Qiao Nian turned back to look at Gu Zhou, her eyes filled with confusion. Gu Zhou reached out and patted Qiao Nian¡¯s head. In a calm voice, he said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to hold back, don¡¯t. You don¡¯t have to tolerate this. If you face any trouble, I¡¯ll help you.¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou in surprise, momentarily forgetting to speak. She had wanted revenge for a long time. She believed that Gu Zhou had always known about this. But she had never expected Gu Zhou to be willing to help her. Qiao Nian¡¯s heart gave a violent jerk. After a long while, she said, ¡°You¡­¡± However, the rest of the sentence got lodged in her throat. Qiao Nian didn¡¯t know what to say. Out of habit, Gu Zhou straightened his tie and said unhurriedly, ¡°The results of the paternity test are out.¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou in confusion. She had kept this matter a well-guarded secret. How did Gu Zhou know? Without waiting for Qiao Nian to speak, Gu Zhou continued, ¡°I¡¯m in charge of operations at the paternity test center.¡± Qiao Nian: ¡­ Qiao Nian froze for a moment, then frowned. Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian intently, taking in all of her emotions. Instead of announcing the results immediately, he waited for her to speak. ¡°What were the results?¡± After hesitating for a moment, Qiao Nian decided to ask. ¡°Congrattions, your intuition was very urate. You¡¯re not Qiao Shan¡¯s biological daughter.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s voice turned cold. Hearing Gu Zhou¡¯s words, Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t help but smile. The taut string in Qiao Nian¡¯s heart finally ckened. All the tension drained from her shoulders. She hated those people from the Qiao family, and hated herself for having anything to do with the Qiao family. It made her feel dirty to the extreme. Su Xue was having an affair. Qiao Nian knew in her heart that this was definitely not the first time Su Xue had an affair. Someone who had cheated before would definitely cheat again. How could someone as dirty as Su Xue be her rtive? Back when she was living with the elderly grandfather who had taken her in, Qiao Nian had thought that she was an orphan. Although they had been poor, she lived a happy life in the countryside! But after that, she was brought to the Qiao family. For no reason, she gained a brother and sister, and for no reason, she suffered unfair treatment. Everyone told her to take good care of her younger sister, Qiao Xin. They also wanted her to listen to her older brother, even if her brother did those things to her. Their family was worse than a pack of beasts. What right did they have to treat someone else¡¯s daughter like she was less than human? Chapter 150 - 150 The First Lecturer ?150: The First Lecturer 150: The First Lecturer Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian was extremely d that she had nothing to do with the Qiao family. Fortunately, she now knew the truth. Gu Zhou called out to her. Qiao Nian smiled brightly at Gu Zhou. Her red lips parted slightly as she spoke. ¡°You¡¯re right. I shouldn¡¯t have to tolerate this anymore. I should get back at them for what they did to me, and charge interest for it as well.¡± Gu Zhou looked at her. There was a strange light in her eyes, and she looked much brighter and happier. The lights cast her in a golden glow, making her look so beautiful that one could not take their eyes off her. Gu Zhou was momentarily dazed. At this moment, the host of the banquet began to announce the order of guest speakers at the ceremony. When everyone heard Qiao Nian¡¯s name announced first, they were all extremely displeased. ¡°Who¡¯s Qiao Nian? Why haven¡¯t I heard of her name? What right does she have to go on stage to give a speech?¡± ¡°Where did this country bumpkine from? Why haven¡¯t I heard of her?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of her either. She must have gotten in through the back door. Can any Tom, Dick, or Harry be a lecturer these days?¡± ¡°I want to see the eldest daughter of the Gu family giving her speech!¡± ¡°I¡¯m here because of Miss Jiang Yue. I heard that she¡¯s the first lecturer.¡± ¡°She initially took the first spot, but the order was changed afterwards.¡± ¡­ Because Qiao Nian had taken over Jiang Yue¡¯s role as the first to go on stage, everyone present felt indignant for Jiang Yue. When Gu Zhou heard their words, he couldn¡¯t help but frown. Lin Tao walked around the venue. Listening to the words of those people, she was so angry that her little face turned red with rage. Sheined unhappily, ¡°Those people really know nothing. They¡¯re so snobbish. All of them are blind fools.¡± Afterining, Lin Tao reached out and took Qiao Nian¡¯s hand,forting her gently, ¡°Nian Nian, don¡¯t stoop to their level. They¡¯re just too stupid.¡± When Qiao Nian heard Lin Tao¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. She shook her head lightly. At this moment, there was amotion at the door. Qiao Nian and Lin Tao looked over. They saw Jiang Yue walking into the room in high heels. Her chin was raised proudly, her eyes glittering. She strode into the room elegantly. Lin Tao sized up Jiang Yue, frowning slightly. She couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Nian Nian, who is this? Does she think she¡¯s a celebrity? Does she think that she¡¯s going to walk the red carpet?¡± When Qiao Nian heard Lin Tao¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t help butugh. She exined, ¡°That¡¯s Jiang Yue.¡± ¡°What? She¡¯s Jiang Yue? She¡¯s so snobbish!¡± As Lin Tao spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but nce at Jiang Yue again, inhaling sharply. ¡°Are those people blind? How dare they im that she¡¯s a beauty, and a top student too? Perhaps if she¡¯s a top student in the animal kingdom, I can ept that. After all, she¡¯s just like a peacock.¡± Lin Tao¡¯s gaze fell on Gu Zhou¡¯s face. Puzzled, she asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t she your younger sister? Why didn¡¯t shee with you?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not,¡± Gu Zhou said indifferently, not even sparing Lin Tao a nce. Qiao Nian realized that Gu Zhou didn¡¯t seem to like Jiang Yue. Lin Tao didn¡¯t sense Gu Zhou¡¯s displeasure at all. She went straight to the point. ¡°Didn¡¯t they all say that she¡¯s the oldest daughter of the Gu family?¡± ¡°She¡¯s just my grandmother¡¯s adopted granddaughter. She has nothing to do with the Gu family.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s brow furrowed deeper and deeper. He seemed to be extremely displeased that others hadbeled Jiang Yue as a member of the Gu family. It was as though he was trying his best to distance himself from Jiang Yue. Only then did Qiao Nian realize that outsiders all thought that Jiang Yue was the precious daughter of the Gu family. Jiang Yue¡¯s gaze fell on Gu Zhou¡¯s face, and the smile in her eyes grew more pronounced. But when her gaze fell on Qiao Nian, who was standing beside Gu Zhou, something shed in her eyes, then disappeared. Jiang Yue had been notified yesterday that she was no longer the first to speak. Later on, she heard from others that Qiao Nian had reced her as the first speaker. Jiang Yue had never expected Qiao Nian to rece her as the first speaker. She was such a dubious character. She had been trying hard to calm herself down, but Qiao Nian¡¯s appearance next to Gu Zhou had ruined herposure. Chapter 151 - 151 Truly Capable ?151: Truly Capable? 151: Truly Capable? Editor: As Studios Trying hard to calm herself down, Jiang Yue kept a smile on her face. Because of Qiao Nian, Jiang Yue¡¯s spot as the first speaker had been snatched from her. Hence, many people were extremely displeased with Qiao Nian. ¡°Senior Jiang is such a good-tempered person. How is she keeping her calm? I wonder who exactly Qiao Nian is. How dare she snatch the role of first speaker from Senior Jiang? How shameless is she?¡± ¡°I wonder what the organizers of the event are thinking. They found an idiot to open the ceremony. Isn¡¯t this looking down on the Second Academy?¡± ¡°This is so infuriating.¡± ¡­ Liu Yu had been following Jiang Yue around. Listening to the words of those people, she felt a wave of indignation for Jiang Yue. Qiao Nian was truly disgusting. She was everywhere. Before she arrived, Liu Yu had been thinking that if Jiang Yu were to make an appearance at this ceremony, she would definitely benefit greatly, being Jiang Yue¡¯s good friend. However, she hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to interfere once again. Jiang Yue didn¡¯t seem to be able to hear theints of the surrounding onlookers. She smiled and walked up to Qiao Nian. Holding onto Qiao Nian¡¯s hand happily, she said with affection in her voice, ¡°Sister Nian Nian, you¡¯ve arrived early. Previously, Grandma asked us toe here together, didn¡¯t she?¡± As Jiang Yue spoke, her gaze swept around the crowd. Qiao Nian retracted her hand without batting an eyelid. Raising her hand, she tucked her hair behind her ear, her expression cold. Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes darkened as he looked at Jiang Yue. His expression wasplicated. Lin Tao, who was standing beside Qiao Nian, frowned. Jiang Yue had spoken very loudly just now, attracting the attention of many people nearby. ¡°Sister Nian Nian.¡± Jiang Yue¡¯s words were like a bomb. Initially, everyone had been curious about who Qiao Nian was. When they heard Jiang Yue¡¯s words, they instantly understood that the person Jiang Yue had addressed as Sister Nian Nian was Qiao Nian herself. Everyone¡¯s gazes fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. All of them were stunned by Qiao Nian¡¯s beauty. However, when they remembered that the person in front of them was the first speaker of tonight, they could only feel jealousy and displeasure. One of Jiang Yue¡¯s suitors questioned unhappily, ¡°Are you Qiao Nian? Are you the one who stole Senior Jiang¡¯s position as the first lecturer?¡± Lin Tao red at the suitor and rolled her eyes, displeasure written all over her face. She finally understood why Gu Zhou didn¡¯t like Jiang Yue. A calcting and petty woman like this was truly detestable. When Jiang Yue heard the boy¡¯s words, she turned to re at him, looking extremely displeased. She smiled at Qiao Nian. In a considerate, understanding manner, she said, ¡°Sister Nian Nian is someone who¡¯s truly capable. This student here, please don¡¯t spout nonsense. You¡¯re embarrassing our school.¡± Lin Tao frowned. Listen. ¡°Truly capable.¡± What did this mean? Was she implying something else, and attempting to smear Qiao Nian¡¯s reputation? ¡°So she¡¯s only the first lecturer because of her family! I bet they funneled a lot of money into the school to get this chance!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure yet. She might have gotten the chance using her body!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. With her face and figure, I¡¯m sure she has what it takes!¡± ¡­ Everyone seemed to have discovered the truth. They looked at Qiao Nian with malice. Jiang Yue frowned slightly. Her red lips parted slightly in disapproval. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Qiao Nian is a guest of our family.¡± Because the marriage between Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian was still a secret, she could only announce to the public that Qiao Nian was a guest of the Gu family. When Gu Zhou heard the word ¡°guest¡±, a trace of displeasure sparked in his heart. ¡°Haha.¡± Lin Tao was angered to the point ofughing. Jiang Yue turned around when she heard the voice. When she saw Lin Tao, a trace of surprise shed in her eyes. She hadn¡¯t expected Director Lin¡¯s precious daughter toe as well. Jiang Yue had always wanted to get to know Director Lin. She knew that Director Lin was extremely prominent in the medical field, so she greeted Lin Tao with a smile. ¡°Miss Lin, you¡¯re here. Has Director Line as well?¡± Lin Tao walked over to Qiao Nian and took her arm with a smile. She looked up at Jiang Yue with contempt, her expression clearly indicating what she thought of Jiang Yue. To Lin Tao, Jiang Yue was worth nothing. ¡°Why do you care if my father is here? You spoke of true capability, but you didn¡¯t even make clear what sort of capability you¡¯re referring to. Are you trying to inspire gossip? To encourage others to let their imaginations run wild? Your acting skills are not bad. Why would you want to study medicine? You might as well study how to write movie scripts.¡± Chapter 152 - 152 Stealing the Gown ?152: Stealing the Gown 152: Stealing the Gown Editor: As Studios Lin Tao¡¯s words were unpleasant, but Jiang Yue didn¡¯t seem to be angered by them. Smiling, she said, ¡°Miss Lin, you¡¯ve really misunderstood.¡± Lin Tao couldn¡¯t be bothered with Jiang Yue. Why would she bother arguing with a beast? At this moment, Zhao Qian walked in with two servants and said with a smile, ¡°Sister Jiang, Sister Qiao, Grandma asked me to send the gown over.¡± A trace of light shed in Jiang Yue¡¯s eyes. The gown Grandma had made for her had been sent over. As long as she put on the gown, she would be able to stun everyone with her beauty. At this moment, someone took Gu Zhou away, saying that they wanted to discuss a coboration. Zhao Qian nced at the boxes the two servants were holding. She pointed to the left and said respectfully, ¡°Grandma made this gown herself.¡± When everyone heard Zhao Qian¡¯s words, they craned their necks to look at the box on the left. However, the box was opaque, preventing them from seeing the gown inside. Matriarch Gu was a world-renowned fashion designer. If they could see a gown Matriarch Gu had designed with their own eyes, they would be able to brag about it in the future. When Qiao Nian heard Zhao Qian¡¯s words, she instinctively reached for the box on the left. However, to her surprise, Jiang Yue had already walked over to pick it up. Jiang Yue looked at the box happily. With a smile on her face, she stared intently at Zhao Qian. ¡°Qian Qian, you have to help me thank Grandma when we get back.¡± A trace of hesitation shed in Zhao Qian¡¯s eyes. Only then did she say, ¡°Sister Yueyue, Grandma prepared this gown for Sister Qiao.¡± Jiang Yue didn¡¯t take Zhao Qian¡¯s words seriously at all. Smiling, she said, ¡°Qian Qian, don¡¯t joke around on such an asion.¡± With that, her gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. Pointing at the remaining box, she said, ¡°Sister Nian Nian, this is the gown Grandma prepared for you. Judging by the wrapping on the box, I think it¡¯s a limited edition gown designed by Mr. S. I heard it¡¯s worth tens of millions. Take it and wear it.¡± Qiao Nian could hear the tinge of charity in Jiang Yue¡¯s words. Her gaze fell on the box in Jiang Yue¡¯s hand, and she raised her eyebrow. ¡°Are you sure this is your gown?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Jiang Yue had a gentle smile on her face as she looked at Qiao Nian triumphantly. ¡°Sister Nian Nian, you have no idea. For every event I attend, I wear a gown that Grandma makes for me. All the evening gowns Grandma has made for me herself must fill a room.¡± When everyone heard Jiang Yue¡¯s words, they all gasped. Not everyone was qualified to wear a gown designed by Matriarch Gu. At this moment, Lin Tao, who was standing at the side, was also looking at Jiang Yue with envy. In the past, she had always wanted to wear a gown designed by Matriarch Gu, but Matriarch Gu had already retired and rarely made gowns anymore. Jiang Yue could feel the envious gazes on her, and her vanity went off the charts. She looked at Qiao Nian, who was staring at the box in her hand, and asked half-jokingly, ¡°Sister Nian Nian, do you think Grandma made this gown for you?¡± As soon as Jiang Yue¡¯s words fell, the people around them burst into gossip. They all looked at Qiao Nian with disdain. Liu Yu had always disliked Qiao Nian. Her expression instantly turned cold as she scolded, ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯re too brazen. You¡¯ve been freeloading off the Gu family, and now you want to snatch their things too. How can you be so shameless? Do you not know your ce at all?¡± ¡°Exactly. Matriarch Gu has already given her face by letting her stay in the Gu residence. Yet she actually wants to wear a gown made by Matriarch Gu.¡± ¡°Youngdies these days all have thicker skin than city walls. She¡¯s stolen the spot of the first speaker, and now she even wants to steal the gown made by someone else¡¯s grandmother!¡± ¡­ Seeing that everyone was on Jiang Yue¡¯s side, Liu Yu felt much more at ease. With a gentle smile on her face, Jiang Yue said, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t misunderstand. Sister Nian Nian and I were just joking. Don¡¯t take it seriously.¡± Chapter 153 - 153 Skilled Methods ?153: Skilled Methods 153: Skilled Methods Editor: As Studios Lin Tao, who had been standing at the side, frowned. Jiang Yue was clearly a master of appearances. Right from the beginning, she had the upper hand. She pretended to be gentle and considerate, but in reality, there was malice behind that smile. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze was fixed on the box Jiang Yue was holding. Jiang Yue was getting impatient, but she still put on a gentle and magnanimous facade. She handed the other box to Qiao Nian. Seeing that Qiao Nian didn¡¯t take the box, Jiang Yue spoke in a persuasive voice. ¡°A gown designed by Mr. S can¡¯t be bought with money, either. Most youngdies would long to get their hands on such a gown. This is also a gift from Grandma. I hope you can ept it.¡± Qiao Nian remained impassive. Jiang Yue continued to persuade her. ¡°You¡¯re the first speaker tonight. If you go onstage in this casual outfit, it might be a little impolite. You¡¯d better change into this gown quickly.¡± Jiang Yue spoke very well, her manner extremely proper. Her words were filled with consideration for Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian looked at Jiang Yue calmly and said with disdain, ¡°It¡¯s not my gown. Why would I want it?¡± The smile on Jiang Yue¡¯s face froze. She hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to refuse outright, and in public no less. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on the box Jiang Yue was holding. She said with certainty, ¡°The gown in here is mine.¡± Zhao Qian, who was standing at the side, walked over to Qiao Nian and said, ¡°Sister Yue, why don¡¯t you¡­¡± Before Zhao Qian could finish her sentence, she sensed Jiang Yue ring at her. Frightened, she took a step back. Jiang Yue smiled at Qiao Nian. Of course, she didn¡¯t believe for one second that Grandma had made this gown for Qiao Nian. After all, this gown was made with her favorite diamond. Jiang Yue thought that Qiao Nian was just jealous. In the past, she had always thought that Qiao Nian was apletely emotionless person. Yet, it seemed that Qiao Nian was now beginning to learn to steal from her. Jiang Yue hadn¡¯t expected this at all. Liu Yu wanted to scold Qiao Nian, but was stopped by Jiang Yue. With a troubled expression on her face, Jiang Yue looked up at Qiao Nian and said, ¡°Sister Nian Nian, I know that you¡¯re fond of the gowns made by Grandma, but every gown Grandma makes for me is tailored to my size. If not for that, I¡¯d have given you the gown.¡± Jiang Yue spoke persuasively and patiently. ¡°If you like Grandma¡¯s gowns, I¡¯ll tell Grandmater and ask her to make one for you next time.¡± Jiang Yue continued, ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble Sister Nian Nian to wear the gown made by Mr. S!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll only wear my own gown,¡± Qiao Nian said coldly. Hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Liu Yu turned red with anger. In an affected manner, she said, ¡°Qiao Nian, don¡¯t you have some shame? Jiang Yue is Matriarch Gu¡¯s granddaughter. If Matriarch Gu makes a gown, it¡¯s definitely meant for Jiang Yue. What status do you have? What right do you have topare yourself to Jiang Yue?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Qiao Nian is too shameless. She¡¯ll try to snatch anything that¡¯s of good quality, even when those things don¡¯t belong to her.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t understand. Shouldn¡¯t she be grateful to the Gu family? Why is she making things difficult for Jiang Yue?¡± ¡°This is what it means to be an ingrate!¡± ¡­ As Lin Tao listened to everyone¡¯sments about Qiao Nian, her beautiful fox-like eyes filled with coldness. She pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. She had known Qiao Nian for a long time. She knew Qiao Nian¡¯s character well. Qiao Nian wouldn¡¯t make a scene with Jiang Yue for no reason. Something was definitely wrong. At this moment, someone nearby said, ¡°Let us see the gown Matriarch Gu designed!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Qiao Nian¡¯s trying so brazenly to get her hands on this gown. It must be stunning!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Qiao Nian doesn¡¯t even want the gown Mr. S designed!¡± ¡­ Jiang Yue smiled and nodded. She said gently, ¡°Since everyone wants to see it, I¡¯ll take it out!¡± She bent down and opened the box containing the gown Matriarch Gu designed. Chapter 154 - 154 Unreasonable ?154: Unreasonable 154: Unreasonable Editor: As Studios ¡°Senior Jiang, you¡¯re really too kind!¡± ¡°Senior Jiang, you¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°Inparison, Qiao Nian is truly an ingrate!¡± ¡­ Amidst everyone¡¯spliments, Jiang Yue opened the box and took out the gown inside. Seeing the gown, the corner of Qiao Nian¡¯s mouth curved up a little. There was a hint of a smile in her gaze. Just like that, the ck evening gown, encrusted all over with sparkling diamonds, made its first public appearance. Everyone was blinded by the gown. When Jiang Yue looked at the evening gown, a trace of surprise shed in her eyes. This evening gown was very beautiful, and she had immediately taken a liking to it. Indeed, only she could wear such a beautiful gown. Yet, a trace of confusion shed in Jiang Yue¡¯s eyes. Why did she feel that this gown was a little too small? Could Grandma have remembered her measurements incorrectly? Jiang Yue touched the glittering diamonds on her gown, which were reflecting all colors of the rainbow. She could no longer look away. This gown had stolen the hearts of all the girls present. They looked at the gown enviously. However, Jiang Yue had a bad feeling about this, but she couldn¡¯t put her finger on it. Jiang Yue turned the gown over in her hands. Could it be that dark colors tended to appear smaller? Did she think that this gown looked too small? Something was wrong. This was not her size. It was impossible for Grandma to have remembered her size incorrectly. Jiang Yue looked up at Zhao Qian, who was frowning. Pursing her lips, Jiang Yue¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian¡¯s figure was considered unrivaled among women. She was tall and had a slender waist. She was naturally graceful, and charming beyond words. The ominous feeling in Jiang Yue¡¯s heart intensified. Her grip on the gown tightened involuntarily. Liu Yu naturally didn¡¯t know what Jiang Yue was thinking. She said excitedly, ¡°Yue Yue, quickly change into this gown. You¡¯ll definitely look beautiful in it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. This gown suits your temperament very well!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll look beautiful in it! As for some people who don¡¯t have a tailor-made gown, they can go cry in a corner!¡± ¡°Matriarch Gu likes you so much. If she sees you in this gown, she will definitely be very happy.¡± ¡­ The unease in Jiang Yue¡¯s heart gradually dissipated with those words. Her heart settled back down a little. Even outsiders knew that Grandma would prepare a gown for her. What was there to be confused about? Moreover, Grandma must know in her heart that Jiang Yue was the one who treated Grandma the best. There was no way Grandma would prepare a gown for Qiao Nian. A sweet smile bloomed on Jiang Yue¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll go change now!¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on the box containing Mr. S¡¯s gown. ¡°This isn¡¯t my gown.¡± Jiang Yue looked at Qiao Nian in confusion. Qiao Nian stepped closer to Jiang Yue and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that the gown you¡¯re holding is my size?¡± Hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Jiang Yue¡¯s heart, which had just settled down, leaped to her throat again. She looked at Qiao Nian uneasily. But now, no matter what, she was going to wear this gown. She had to. Liu Yu was standing beside Jiang Yue, and heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words clearly. With disdain written all over her face, she said, ¡°Are you crazy? This is clearly a gift Matriarch Gu prepared for Yue Yue. Are you trying to say that Matriarch Gu didn¡¯t prepare a gift for her granddaughter and instead prepared a gift for an outsider like you?¡± Qiao Nian red at Liu Yu, her expression cold. The aura she was exuding was frigid. Liu Yu was startled, but she calmed down very quickly. She had valuable dirt on Qiao Nian. As long as she spread the scandals Qiao Nian had been involved in, she would be able to avenge Jiang Yue! The others were also displeased with Qiao Nian for trying to snatch the gown. ¡°Does this woman have no idea of her own status? She just has to snatch Senior Jiang¡¯s things!¡± ¡°What kind of behavior is this? I wonder how her parents raised her!¡± ¡°She¡¯s so irritating!¡± ¡­ Seeing that everyone was standing on her side, Jiang Yue¡¯s mood lifted. ¡°This isn¡¯t my gown either. Sister Nian Nian, you¡¯ve let down Grandma¡¯s good intentions just like that. It¡¯ll be your turn to give a speech soon. If you¡¯re not wearing an evening gown, that will be very rude!¡± Chapter 155 - 155 I Wont Use Things That Dont Belong to Me ?155: I Won¡¯t Use Things That Don¡¯t Belong to Me 155: I Won¡¯t Use Things That Don¡¯t Belong to Me Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian narrowed her eyes dangerously. She had always kept a low profile in the past, but Jiang Yue had already crossed the line today. A formal gown could not be worn by someone else after being worn once. It would be impolite for another person to wear it again. She had already worn the gown her grandmother had made. Since Jiang Yue did not seem to mind being humiliated, she would let Jiang Yue wear it. It would be toote for Jiang Yue to regret her actions in the future. Qiao Nian took out her phone and made a call. ¡°The lecture hall of the Second Academy of Medicine. Help me select a gown.¡± With that, Qiao Nian hung up. Jiang Yue, who was standing at the side, was slightly stunned. A trace of anger shed in her eyes, and her tone turned cold. ¡°This gown was Grandma¡¯s gift to you. How dare you not want it? You¡¯re crossing a line!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not like you. I¡¯ll never use things that don¡¯t belong to me.¡± Qiao Nian looked at Jiang Yue coldly. A trace of panic shed in Jiang Yue¡¯s heart, but she calmed down very quickly. Holding the gown, she walked towards the changing room. There was no way Grandma would make a gown for Qiao Nian. Grandma liked her the most. Grandma would only make gowns for her! Qiao Nian was indeed from the countryside. She didn¡¯t know any etiquette at all. She was kind enough to help Qiao Nian, but Qiao Nian didn¡¯t appreciate it. Since that was the case, she would let Qiao Nian make a fool of herself in front of everyone. How could the gowns Qiao Nian owned be any good? She would definitely be wearing cheap and unpresentable clothes. Jiang Yue pursed her lips. When that happened, even if Grandma asked, she could say that she had tried to persuade Qiao Nian. Everyone watched as Jiang Yue left. Then, their gazes all fell on Qiao Nian. They had thought that Qiao Nian would fly into a rage out of humiliation. They hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to be leaning against the wall and chatting with a young girl, looking rxed and happy. Seeing that Qiao Nian was pretending to be calm, everyone couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°She didn¡¯t manage to get her hands on the gown made by Matriarch Gu. Is that why she¡¯s gone crazy? Do you think she¡¯s nning to wear this outfit onstage?¡± ¡°Who knows? She doesn¡¯t even want to wear the gown made by Mr. S. Her standards must be very high. Even so, I bet she¡¯ll be wearing a cheap, hideous gown when she goes on stage to give her speechter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Later on, we¡¯ll be able to see what kind of gown Qiao Nian will be wearing. Perhaps she¡¯ll be giving a lecture on how to snatch other people¡¯s clothes!¡± ¡­ Qiao Nian¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. It wasn¡¯t because she was unhappy with what the onlookers were saying, but because she could feel Qiao Yu staring at her. That gaze made her ufortable. Qiao Nian was nowpletely certain that Qiao Yu and Qiao Xin had long known that she wasn¡¯t Qiao Shan and Su Xue¡¯s biological daughter. That was why Qiao Yu had done those beastly things. About ten minutester, Jiang Yue appeared in front of everyone in the diamond-encrusted gown, instantly attracting everyone¡¯s attention. Everyone looked enviously at the beautiful, eye-catching gown Jiang Yue was wearing. The unique patterns were iid with luxurious diamonds,plementing the overall design of the gown. Everyone was stunned. ¡°Oh my god, it¡¯s beautiful!¡± ¡°This gown truly lives up to the status of being Matriarch Gu¡¯s handiwork. It¡¯s simply gorgeous!¡± ¡°Qiao Nian must be dreaming to think that she¡¯d ever be able to wear this gown. Does she think she¡¯s worthy of such a beautiful gown?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t she ask someone to send a gown over? The gown she¡¯s bringing must have cost only a few hundred dors. It won¡¯t beparable to a gown handmade by Matriarch Gu at all!¡± ¡­ After admiring the gown, everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Jiang Yue¡¯s face. All of them realized that the effect was rather strange. Jiang Yue was very good-looking, but this gown did not match Jiang Yue¡¯s aura at all. There was an indescribable incongruity. This gown was wlessly beautiful, but with Jiang Yue¡¯s face and figure, it looked much more ordinary. She looked like an innocent student who had insisted on wearing heavy makeup to hide her original temperament. The gown looked out of ce on her. At this moment, five young girls walked in, each carrying two gowns covered by ck cloth. Chapter 156 - 156 Cheap Goods ?156: Cheap Goods 156: Cheap Goods Editor: As Studios Everyone¡¯s interest was piqued. One by one, they looked over curiously. They wanted to know which family¡¯s daughter had arranged such a grand procession. Jiang Yue was slightly stunned. She had a bad feeling. Could it be that these people were here to pass Qiao Nian a gown? The five girls walked up to Qiao Nian, holding the gowns. ¡°Miss Qiao, we really didn¡¯t know what style you liked, so we brought you ten different pieces. Take a look and see if you like them. If not, I¡¯ll return to the studio to get more!¡± The respect in the young girl¡¯s voice made one feel that Qiao Nian was some big shot who was undercover. A smile lingered at the corner of Qiao Nian¡¯s lips. She said gratefully, ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you this time. I can wear anything. Just pick one for me.¡± The onlookers¡¯ gazes fell on the ten gowns. They pursed their lips. These were indeed cheap goods. Otherwise, how could ten gowns be sent over all at once? ¡°Perhaps she bought them on the Inte for cheap. That¡¯s why they brought so many over!¡± ¡°Exactly. Didn¡¯t you realize that it¡¯s only been half an hour since the call? Yet, these youngdies have already brought the gowns here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. What sort of family can produce so many formal gowns at once?¡± ¡°Qiao Nian is so pretentious. She¡¯s deliberately putting on such a grand show. No matter how her speech goes today, Qiao Nian will definitely leave asting impression on everyone!¡± ¡­ However, there were still some who spoke truthfully. ¡°Why do I feel that the whole set-up looks quite ssy?¡± ¡°ssy? How can these clothespare to Matriarch Gu¡¯s handmade gown?¡± ¡°Actually, I think these gowns shouldn¡¯t be too bad either. Think about it. Director Lin invited Qiao Nian here specially. Someone whom Director Lin invites personally must be someone quite extraordinary!¡± ¡­ Seeing that some people were speaking up for Qiao Nian, Liu Yu¡¯s expression instantly darkened. She red fiercely at that girl and said angrily, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Has a donkey kicked you in the head? What can she do? Big shot? You¡¯re thinking too much.¡± When the surrounding people heard Liu Yu¡¯s words, they all frowned in disapproval, unwilling to pay her any attention. Jiang Yue stood at the side. She felt that her waist area was slightly ufortable, and it was only getting worse and worse. It must be because of the gown she was wearing. She no longer dared to breathe, worried that the zipper would suddenly fly open. Jiang Yue only hoped that this gown wouldst until her speech ended. Hearing the words of the onlookers, the five girls removed the ck cloths. In an instant, everyone present was stunned. Goodness. These ten gowns were too beautiful. They were not in any way inferior to the gown designed by Matriarch Gu. Moreover, they spanned a wide range of styles. Every gown was elegant, luxurious, and yet not shy. They were very suitable for the current theme. Qiao Nian nced at Jiang Yue and finally chose a ck gown. When Lin Tao saw this, she couldn¡¯t help butugh. She was now looking forward to seeing Qiao Nian in a gown. How breathtaking would that be! When everyone saw Qiao Nian pick the ck gown, they began whispering among themselves. They felt that Qiao Nian was challenging Jiang Yue. At first nce, Liu Yu was also stunned by these gowns, but she couldn¡¯t believe that a country bumpkin would have the money to buy such expensive gowns. She asked uncertainly, ¡°These¡­ these gowns are all high-end replicas, aren¡¯t they¡­¡± ¡°Is that even a question? They must be fake!¡± A girl who was close to Liu Yu chimed in. When one of the girls who had brought the dresses heard Liu Yu¡¯s words, she frowned. These people had gone too far. What a bunch of idiots! They didn¡¯t know priceless when it was staring them in the face. She said coldly, ¡°These dresses are designed by the world-famous Elena. If you don¡¯t know anything, shut up. You¡¯re embarrassing yourself!¡± Elena. That was a top designer from another country. She was rumored to be on par with Matriarch Gu in terms of fame. Moreover, it was rumored that her main focus was on making gowns for the royal family. Chapter 157 - 157 Quibbling ?157: Quibbling 157: Quibbling Editor: As Studios Mr. S was far inferior to Elena! Jiang Yue breathed in carefully. She did not dare to make any big movements now. Her face was livid as she looked at the alluring gowns. She really hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to have the ability to get Elena to design a gown for her. Liu Yu¡¯s face turned pale, but she still wouldn¡¯t believe that these dresses were designed by Elena. She said relentlessly, ¡°Words are useless. Perhaps you¡¯re lying?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard that Elena only makes clothes for the royal family. I¡¯ve never heard of her designing clothes for socialites in this country.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Although we¡¯ve never interacted with Elena, we all know her preferences.¡± ¡­ At this moment, a youngdy walked out of the crowd. Her gaze fell on the onlookers and she said, ¡°Thisdy is right. Stop talking. None of you know anything, and you¡¯re just spouting nonsense! This is really very embarrassing!¡± This girl looked especially young. She seemed to be a freshman. She hadn¡¯t wanted to step forward initially, but seeing how those people began to nder Qiao Nian without distinguishing between right and wrong, she couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. Taking out her phone, she walked to a gown and scanned the QR code there before saying, ¡°All the dresses designed by Elena are marked. Just scan it and you¡¯ll know if it¡¯s real. Look, this is an authentic product, and an original design by Elena!¡± The girl showed the page on her phone to everyone. The dress code and certificate were disyed. Those who had mocked Qiao Nian for getting people to send over fake gowns were all so embarrassed that they yearned to find a hole to hide in. Liu Yu stepped forward, unwilling to go down without a fight. She scanned the codes on the remaining nine dresses. All of them were authentic. Her breathing quickened, and her face turned red with embarrassment. Tears welled up in her eyes. She was so angry that she began to cry! How was this possible? Qiao Nian was clearly a lunatic. How could she be wearing a gown designed by Elena? Apart from designing clothes for the royal family, Elena only designed clothes for people she liked. Moreover, she would investigate that person¡¯s character. If her character was not up to standard, she would not design clothes for that person either. Jiang Yue¡¯s expression was the darkest. She bit her lip. She had always wanted to own a gown designed by Elena, but she had never expected Qiao Nian to be one step ahead of her. At this moment, Jiang Yue seemed to hear the sound of fabric tearing. Jiang Yue was so anxious that her entire body was flushed red. She hurriedly held her breath, trying hard to suck in her stomach. This was the first time she had been in such a sorry state. At this moment, Jiang Yue¡¯s mind was still very clear. Although Grandma was getting on in years, every time Grandma made a gown for her, she would never make a mistake in her size. Yet this gown did not seem to be her size. Could it be that this gown was really made for Qiao Nian? No. It couldn¡¯t be true! Grandma knew that she liked diamonds the most. Why would she give her favorite diamond to an outsider? Liu Yu wiped her tears away and red at Qiao Nian angrily, still unconvinced. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with Qiao Nian¡¯s character. Girls, you should tell designer Elena that she¡­¡± From the corner of her eye, Jiang Yue saw Gu Zhou walking over. Carefully, she walked to Liu Yu¡¯s side and said in a low voice, ¡°Alright, stop.¡± ¡°Yueyue, you¡­¡± Sucking in her stomach, Jiang Yue tried hard to maintain a smile on her face. She said reasonably, ¡°Sister Nian Nian is a guest of our family. Although Sister Nian Nian and I had a misunderstanding previously, the lecture will begin in a while. Let¡¯s not make a scene over such a small matter.¡± Jiang Yue¡¯s voice was as gentle as ever. Her words were logical and made perfect sense. The onlookers felt that Jiang Yue was right. Hence, they didn¡¯t say anything else. Although Qiao Nian could wear a gown made by Elena this time, that didn¡¯t mean that Qiao Nian would have a chance to continue doing so in the future. Liu Yu red daggers at Qiao Nian. If looks could kill, Qiao Nian would have died a thousand times over. Chapter 158 - 158 Little Angel ?158: Little Angel 158: Little Angel Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian gave Jiang Yue a meaningful look. This woman could indeed cause trouble for Gu Zhou. She knew when to advance and when to retreat, and was extremely cunning. After Qiao Nian retracted her gaze, she walked towards the resting room, preparing to change into her gown. She did not notice Gu Zhou and Lu Zhu walking over at all. When Qiao Nian walked out of the resting room, she saw three young girls walking towards her, arm in arm. They were clearly looking for her. ¡°Miss Qiao,¡± the girl standing in the middle greeted softly. Qiao Nian stopped in her tracks. She remembered this young girl. She was the one who had spoken up for her just now. The girl looked at Qiao Nian with a guilty expression and said, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for disturbing you just now. I must have ruined your good mood. I¡¯m very sorry.¡± There were too many people around them previously, and Qiao Nian¡¯s attention was entirely on Jiang Yue and Liu Yu, so she hadn¡¯t taken note of the girl¡¯s features. When she took a good look at the young girl in front of her, she was momentarily stunned. The girl¡¯s facial features were exquisite and delicate, and her skin seemed to be as fine and thin as gossamer. She looked extremely sweet. Just by taking a nce, one would immediately sense that she was an obedient and adorable little girl. What Qiao Nian liked about her the most was that this young girl had the same fox-like eyes as she did. However, her eyes looked charming and sultry, while this young girl¡¯s eyes were sweet and innocent. Qiao Nian smiled at the girl. ¡°It¡¯s their fault. This has nothing to do with you. You don¡¯t have to apologize for them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± The girl looked at Qiao Nian earnestly as she shook her head. The pearl earring on her ear swayed, setting off the charm of her small face. The two girls standing next to her nodded in agreement, their expressions apologetic. The girl pursed her lips and said gently, ¡°The seniors shouldn¡¯t have said those outrageous things, much less attempt to defile your name. They don¡¯t even know you well, yet they insisted that you were of bad character. That was clearly wrong.¡± When the girl said this, her lips pursed slightly. She continued, ¡°More importantly, for you to be invited by Director Lin to be the first lecturer, I believe that you¡¯re someone outstanding. You came to our school to give a speech to enlighten us students. If we still choose to misconstrue your intentions, then the story of the snake and the farmer will repeat itself. Furthermore, your indifferent gaze just now seemed to be filled with disappointment towards the entire world¡­¡± The girl looked at Qiao Nian seriously and continued, ¡°There¡¯s not only darkness in this world, but also much beauty.¡± The other two little girls said, ¡°Teacher Qiao, I hope you won¡¯t remember the unhappy events that happened today.¡± Qiao Nian looked at the three girls in front of her, pursing her lips. Just for a moment, she felt a little choked up. She had seen too much injustice in this world, and had received too much unfair treatment. She was already numb to such things. But today, someone was telling her that there was still beauty in this world. Not just darkness. Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes stung a little. She looked at the young girl in front of her for a long time before she spoke. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Qi Qi.¡± A gentle voice rang out from the side, interrupting Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian froze. She found the voice familiar. She looked up and saw Lu Zhu walking over, holding a book. Lu Zhu looked exactly like how she had seen him in the past. He looked like an elegant gentleman. The young girl¡¯s eyes were filled withughter. She lifted her skirt slightly and jogged closer to the man, her eyes curving up beautifully. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°You¡¯re already in your first year of university. You have to be more mature.¡± When Lu Zhu said this, his voice softened significantly. He looked at the girl with a doting expression on his face. Only then did Qiao Nian realize that this young girl was Lu Zhu¡¯s biological sister, the precious daughter of the Lu family, Lu Qi. When Lu Qi heard Lu Zhu¡¯s words, she immediately let go of Lu Zhu¡¯s arm and stood up straight. ¡°I¡¯m already very mature. Where¡¯s the book?¡± Chapter 159 - 159 Warmth ?159: Warmth 159: Warmth Editor: As Studios Seeing the young girl like this, Lu Zhu could not help butugh. She had only greeted him with such enthusiasm to get her hands on the book. Lu Zhu ruffled Lu Qi¡¯s hair and handed the book to her. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Lu Qi handing the book to Qiao Nian. ¡°Teacher Qiao, this is my greeting gift to you. Although it¡¯s very old, it¡¯s my most beloved book. This book has allowed me to be who I am today. Though it may be a poor gift, I hope you¡¯ll ept it.¡± This book wasn¡¯t expensive. It could be bought easily in a bookstore, but Lu Qi had a nagging feeling that Qiao Nian would indeed ept it. Lu Zhu looked at Lu Qi in surprise. He had never expected Lu Qi to call him just now just to get him to send a book over. He had thought that Lu Qi was going to give the book to Mrs. Gu. Because this book was treasured so much by Lu Qi, she had never been willing to give it away. Qiao Nian lowered her gaze slightly and saw the words ¡°The Kite Runner¡± on the cover. Qiao Nian didn¡¯t hesitate to take the book from Lu Qi. She felt extremely emotional. ¡°Thank you for your gift. I¡¯ll definitely treasure it well in the future.¡± Actually, what Qiao Nian didn¡¯t say was that this book was also her favorite book. Seeing that Qiao Nian had epted the gift, Lu Qi smiled happily. Then, she left with her friends and Lu Zhu. Qiao Nian gazed at Lu Qi¡¯s retreating back. She was such an innocent and adorable youngdy. She must have grown up in a loving family. That must be why she grew up to be such a little angel. Moreover, the two youngdies next to Lu Qi were also obedient and adorable. Birds of a feather indeed flock together. Qiao Nian¡¯s lips curved up slightly. She looked away. There were five minutes left until the ceremony began. She had to get ready. Many people began entering the lecture hall. When they saw Qiao Nian standing outside the door, they were all astonished. ¡°Goodness, this girl is so beautiful!¡± ¡°She¡¯s today¡¯s first lecturer!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so looking forward to it. I really want to know what kind of speech such a beautiful person will give.¡± ¡­ Not far away, as Jiang Yue listened to everyone praise Qiao Nian, she felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on her chest, suffocating her. What made Jiang Yue speechless was that Qiao Nian was wearing an evening gown of the same color as hers. She was clearly trying to steal her thunder. Qiao Nian¡¯s waist was very small, and she had beautiful straight shoulders and butterfly bones. Her skin was very fair, and in contrast to the ck gown, it looked even fairer. ¡°She looks like a fairy!¡± ¡°Qiao Nian is so pretty. Her figure is amazing. That ck gown suits her very well, making her look like an angel.¡± ¡°By the way, don¡¯t you think Senior Jiang Yue¡¯s gown is a little too small? Don¡¯t tell me that gown really belongs to Qiao Nian!¡± ¡°Who knows? Just now, I thought Senior Jiang Yue looked good in that gown, but when I saw Qiao Nian, I felt that Qiao Nian looked better inparison.¡± ¡°Indeed. When they¡¯re both wearing the same color, the one who looks worse will be humiliated!¡± ¡­ When Liu Yu heard those words, she frowned in dissatisfaction and said, ¡°What a bunch of blind fools! Weaklings! Fence sitters!¡± When Jiang Yue heard Liu Yu¡¯s words, she consoled her softly, ¡°Do stop talking. Let¡¯s ignore them.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m waiting to see Qiao Nian make a fool of herself!¡± Jiang Yue didn¡¯t speak, her eyes glittering strangely. Lin Tao stood beside Qiao Nian. Hearing everyone¡¯s words, and seeing the jealous looks on Jiang Yue and Liu Yu¡¯s faces, she said smugly, ¡°Those who scolded you just now are all won over by your beauty.¡± Qiao Nian smiled lightly and didn¡¯t speak. She looked down at the book in her hand, her heart warming. She looked up, gazing around the lecture hall. Finally, she spotted Lu Qi in a corner. Lu Qi was talking to Lu Zhu. Her starry eyes were filled withughter, and the dimples at the corners of her lips were barely discernible. She was extremely adorable. Simrly, Qiao Nian also spotted Gu Zhou, who was beside Lu Zhu. Gu Zhou looked up, and for a moment, their eyes met. Qiao Nian¡¯s breathing quickened. Following Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze, she looked down to see her fair and slender legs peeking out from under her gown. Chapter 160 - 160 Solve the Riddle ?160: Solve the Riddle 160: Solve the Riddle Editor: As Studios The gown reached her ankles, but there was a slit about ten centimeters above her knees. Such a design was quite proper and formal, and she wouldn¡¯t embarrass herself by ident. However, for some reason, when Gu Zhou looked at her like that, Qiao Nian felt as if she was naked. At this moment, the ceremony began. The emcee was the president of the student union of the Second Academy of Medicine. He walked to the center of the stage and spoke into the microphone, giving a long string of polite opening remarks. Then, his gaze fell on Qiao Nian, who was standing not far away. He said, ¡°Next, let¡¯s invite Professor Qiao Nian to give a speech for us!¡± At this moment, the people around them began to whisper. ¡°This is the person who stole Senior Jiang Yue¡¯s spot as the first lecturer. I want to see what she¡¯s capable of.¡± ¡°Not only did she steal Senior Jiang Yue¡¯s spot, but she also tried to steal Senior Jiang Yue¡¯s gown. She¡¯s simply too shameless.¡± ¡°In a while, during the Q & A session, we¡¯ll ask moreplicated questions, so that she won¡¯t be able to answer them. Then, she¡¯ll embarrass herself in public.¡± ¡­ Amidst all kinds of criticism, Qiao Nian walked on stage. She walked to the microphone and said, ¡°Let me start off with a riddle. Everyone, do try and guess the answer.¡± When the people below heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, their eyes widened. ¡°Is she retarded?¡± ¡°This is such a serious asion. Does she think that riddles are suitable?¡± ¡°Does¡­ does she not know what to say at all?¡± ¡­ Qiao Nianpletely ignored their words and continued, ¡°One night, a man was driving through the countryside when he suddenly had a stomachache. He took a few pieces of paper from a stack of paper on the passenger seat. Taking them to a field in the middle of nowhere, he suddenlyughed, then cried. The next day, he died. May I know how the man died?¡± At this moment, the entire hall fell silent. Some people were contemting the answer, while others were looking at her with ridicule. A faint smile appeared on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. She raised her eyebrows slightly. With just one sentence, she had heightened the atmosphere of the ceremony considerably. ¡°If anyone can answer correctly, I¡¯ll give them a pot of Suranne Grass worth tens of millions, no matter who it is.¡± At this moment, the entire hall was in an uproar. ¡°How is this possible? How can she have Suranne Grass?¡± ¡°She must be spouting nonsense.¡± ¡°Hurry up, go and investigate her background.¡± ¡­ When Liu Yu heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, she looked at Jiang Yue with some uncertainty and asked, ¡°Yue Yue, did Qiao Nian take the precious medicinal ingredients in your house, and bring them here as gifts?¡± Jiang Yue didn¡¯t speak. She clenched her fists involuntarily, her nails digging into her palms. Jiang Yue knew that Qiao Nian wasn¡¯t boasting without basis. Moreover, she knew that Qiao Nian did own such expensive medicinal nts. Jiang Yue had never expected that the Suranne Grass given to Qiao Nian by either Grandma or Brother Gu Zhou would be taken out of the house by Qiao Nian, just to get in the crowd¡¯s good books. This was simply too much. If Grandma knew about this, she would definitely be very upset. With this thought in mind, Jiang Yue turned to look at Gu Zhou, who was sitting not far away. Gu Zhou was sitting at the back with the Lu siblings. At this moment, Gu Zhou was leaningzily against his chair, his beautiful eyes slightly narrowed. He was staring unblinkingly at Qiao Nian, his eyes filled with an emotion she couldn¡¯t read. However, what surprised Jiang Yue even more was that Lu Zhu was also looking at Qiao Nian. He seemed to be very interested in this riddle. Jiang Yue¡¯s breathing quickened. How was this possible? Lu Zhu was actually interested in a riddle! Lu Zhu was like an otherworldly immortal. How could he be interested in a riddle given by Qiao Nian? Jiang Yue narrowed her eyes, and the smile on her face froze. She lowered her head in silence. Qiao Xin, who was sitting not far away, heard Qiao Nian announcing the giving away of Suranne Grass. She grabbed Qiao Yu¡¯s hand and squeezed it involuntarily. Chapter 161 - 161 Prize ?161: Prize 161: Prize Editor: As Studios Qiao Xin¡¯s face was pale. She red at Qiao Nian, hatred written all over her face. Previously at the research institute, Qiao Nian had used Suranne Grass to humiliate and nder her. Qiao Xin took a deep breath. As she listened to the skeptical remarks of the people around her, it urred to her that they were all clowns, every one of them. They were just like her at the research institute during that humiliating incident. A trace of shame shed in Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes. It was only now that she realized how stupid and foolish she had been back then. At this moment, Lin Tao walked into the hall with a pot of Suranne Grass in her arms and ced it on Qiao Nian¡¯s podium. This pot of Suranne Grass instantly attracted everyone¡¯s attention. It was like an invisible p to the face of everyone who had been doubting Qiao Nian. The entire hall was now in an uproar. Everyone looked at the Suranne Grass in disbelief. Some people took off their sses and rubbed their eyes hard. When they took a closer look, they realized that it was indeed Suranne Grass. Some people even took photos of the nt to examine it more closely. Upon checking up on the Inte, they discovered that the nt was indeed Suranne Grass. Although they all felt as if they had been pped in the face, they were still very excited. ¡°Oh my god, it¡¯s really Suranne Grass!¡± ¡°How can Qiao Nian own such an expensive nt?¡± ¡°Suranne Grass is priceless. Yet she dares to give this away as a prize!¡± ¡°Alright, stop talking. Hurry up and think of the answer!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. I want to be the first to solve this riddle!¡± ¡­ Seeing the reactions of the people around her, Qiao Xin¡¯s breathing grew more and more rapid. When she thought of the humiliation she had suffered in the research institute, she yearned to walk right up to Qiao Nian and fling a couple ps at her face. Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes grew redder and redder. Although Brother Su Yan had been angry with her, he still genuinely liked her. He had spent a lot of money to cover up the whole embarrassing incident that had taken ce at the research institute. Otherwise, her reputation would have been ruined, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to attend such events now. Qiao Yu sensed that something was wrong with Qiao Xin. He turned to look at her and gently patted her arm, consoling her gently. ¡°Xinxin, don¡¯t worry. With Brother around, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± When Qiao Xin heard Qiao Yu¡¯s words, she looked up at him and nodded lightly. At this moment, Qiao Yu¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian seemed to have changed a lot. She had be even more confident and eye-catching. Even standing on stage, and with no one in the audience responding to her question, she could still remain calm andposed. Qiao Yu¡¯s thin lips curved into an odd half-smile, his eyes glittering with satisfaction. His little girl had truly grown up. Qiao Yu lowered his gaze and turned to look at Qiao Xin, asking gently, ¡°Do you really want the Suranne Grass?¡± When Qiao Xin heard Qiao Yu¡¯s question, her eyes lit up. Qiao Xin was very arrogant, but she had to admit that Qiao Nian was indeed more outstanding than her. Moreover, Qiao Nian had the ability to cultivate Suranne Grass and Moonlight Grass. If she could get her hands on this pot of Suranne Grass, she would gift it to Brother Su Yan once again. When that happened, Brother Su Yan would definitely treat her better. She had to hold on to Brother Su Yan tightly. To her, Su Yan was the best springboard avable. She was determined to lead a better life than Qiao Nian in the future. After thinking everything through, Qiao Xin looked up at Qiao Yu and said firmly, ¡°Brother, I want it.¡± Hearing Qiao Xin¡¯s words, Qiao Yu smiled dotingly and said in a gentle voice, ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll win it back for you!¡± Qiao Yu lowered his gaze. After some thought, he looked up at Qiao Nian, who was standing at the podium. ¡°Is the answer rted to his wife?¡± Qiao Yu was the first to answer the question. Everyone¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Yu¡¯s face. ¡°Is Qiao Yu trying to help his sister by getting the ball rolling?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Qiao Nian told Qiao Yu the answer long ago. If Qiao Yu answers the riddle Qiao Nian gives, then this pot of Suranne Grass will still belong to the Qiao family.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, then the Qiao family is really too despicable!¡± ¡­ Chapter 162 - 162 Smart Young Lady ?162: Smart Young Lady 162: Smart Young Lady Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian was slightly stunned when she heard Qiao Yu¡¯s voice, but she quickly regained herposure. She nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡± Qiao Yu thought for a while more and asked, ¡°Did he find his wife?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At this moment, a clear voice rang out from the side. ¡°Was he happy because he saw his wife?¡± Qiao Nian looked over and saw Lu Qi looking at her excitedly. Qiao Nian nodded slightly. ¡°Yes.¡± When Lu Qi heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, she was overjoyed. Qiao Yu nced at Lu Qi not far away and frowned slightly. He was very dissatisfied with Lu Qi¡¯s interference. ¡°Was he hurt by someone?¡± Qiao Nian shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Qiao Xin, who was sitting beside Qiao Yu, looked at him anxiously. She was a little worried that the Suranne Grass would be snatched away by someone else. Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Yu, who was deep in thought. She lowered her gaze slightly and began to think seriously as well, hoping that she could help Qiao Yu. However, her mind was in a mess, and she couldn¡¯t think calmly at all. While Qiao Yu and Lu Qipeted against each other, the others present also began to contemte the riddle seriously. Many of them actively asked questions, but most received negative answers. For the sake of Suranne Grass, many people even took out their phones to send the riddle to their friends, hoping that their friends would help them solve the riddle. The tension in the venue was so thick that it could be cut with a knife. Lu Qi¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. She asked, ¡°Was he driving to find his wife?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Qiao Nian nodded. ¡°Was his wife dead?¡± Lu Qi continued asking. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s no murderer at the scene?¡± Lu Qi asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Lu Qi¡¯s eyes lit up. She hurriedly stood up and gave the answer in one breath. ¡°This man¡¯s wife should have disappeared, so the man was driving around looking for his wife. The stack of paper he ced in the front passenger seat should be copies of a missing person notice. If it were something like tissue paper or kitchen rolls, it wouldn¡¯t be a stack of paper.¡± ¡°As the man drove through the countryside, he realized that he needed to use the toilet. That was why he took a piece of paper to the field. It must have been there that he saw his wife¡¯s corpse. He was happy that he had found his wife, but heartbroken to find her dead. He was in such extreme sorrow that hemitted suicide the next day.¡± After Lu Qi finished speaking, she looked at Qiao Nian nervously. Qiao Nian¡¯s beautiful fox-like eyes narrowed and her red lips curved up slightly. ¡°Congrattions, you¡¯re right. This pot of Suranne Grass will be given to you as a prize.¡± Lu Qi covered her mouth in excitement. She was a little worried that she would shout out loud in joy. After Lu Qi sat back down, she threw herself into Lu Zhu¡¯s arms and said excitedly, ¡°Brother, aren¡¯t I amazing? I actually managed to give the correct answer!¡± Lu Zhu saw how ted Lu Qi was, and the corner of his mouth curved up in gratification. ¡­ Qiao Xin, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t in such a good mood. Seeing how happy Lu Qi was, her eyes darkened. This Suranne Grass should have been hers, but someone else had snatched it away. But Qiao Xin didn¡¯t dare to throw a tantrum. She had taken a liking to Lu Zhu. If she could marry Master Lu in the future, she would be Lu Qi¡¯s sister-inw¡­ Qiao Yu could tell that Qiao Xin was disappointed. Casually, he spoke, ¡°I was a step too slow this time. What gift do you want? I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡± When Qiao Xin heard Qiao Yu¡¯s words, her eyes lit up. However, she hadn¡¯t thought of a present she wanted yet, so she said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask Brother for it when I¡¯ve thought about it.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡­ On the stage, Qiao Nian¡¯s heart gradually settled back down. Deep down, she didn¡¯t want Qiao Yu to get the Suranne Grass, because if Qiao Yu got his hands on it, he would definitely give it to Qiao Xin. Fortunately, Qiao Yu didn¡¯t manage to solve the riddle. Lu Qi was truly a smart youngdy. Chapter 163 - 163 Grandma Has Arrived ?163: Grandma Has Arrived 163: Grandma Has Arrived Editor: As Studios ¡°The riddle I gave just now was to let everyone¡¯s imagination run wild. In the future, in any field, we can try some bold ideas and methods. There¡¯s no need to constrain ourselves to known methods. Who knows, we might get an unexpected result.¡± Qiao Nian smiled at everyone and continued, ¡°For example, the way the Suranne Grass grows is very different from ordinary nts¡­¡± After that, Qiao Nian made public the cultivation methods of Suranne Grass. Everyone waspletely stunned. They had never expected that Suranne Grass was cultivated using such strange methods. Everyone listened with relish. They even nned to try it out when they returned home. When the Q & A session began, everyone raised questions regarding cultivation of nts. Smiling, Qiao Nian answered each and every one of them. The atmosphere of the speech ceremony grew more and more pleasant. ¡°Lecturer Qiao Nian truly deserves her reputation, and her status as the first speaker.¡± ¡°What a great speech. She¡¯s so young, yet she¡¯s so proficient and capable. I¡¯m truly ashamed of myself.¡± ¡°What should we do? I want to listen to more of her lectures, but it¡¯s such a pity that she can only give us this short lecture.¡± ¡°I remember who was looking down on her previously. Now, they¡¯ve all been pped in the face!¡± ¡­ Jiang Yue sat there, listening to everyone praise Qiao Nian. Her breathing grew more and more erratic, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Jiang Yue had to admit that Qiao Nian had spoken very well. She was much better prepared than she was. Jiang Yue felt the pressure mounting. At this moment, an olddy entered the banquet hall. Although she was old, she was dressed elegantly. When she was young, she must have been a drop dead gorgeous beauty. The olddy, wearing a dark brown gown, walked in. Her manner was kindly. Liu Yu was the first to see the olddy. She hurriedly patted Jiang Yue¡¯s arm and said excitedly, ¡°Yue Yue, your grandmother hase to see your speech!¡± Jiang Yue¡¯s heart leaped to her throat. She tried hard to suppress the unease in her heart. Her features rxed and she smiled at Matriarch Gu, who was not far away. She waved at Matriarch Gu. ¡°Grandma!¡± Matriarch Gu looked over. When she saw Jiang Yue¡¯s gown, her smile froze. What¡­ What was going on? Why was Jiang Yue wearing this gown? She had made this gown for Nian Nian! Qiao Nian saw Matriarch Gu as well. She also noticed that Matriarch Gu didn¡¯t look well and was frowning slightly. She had been wondering about how to get the gown back without Matriarch Gu knowing. Only then would she not waste Matriarch Gu¡¯s efforts and good intentions. However, Qiao Nian had never expected Matriarch Gu to attend the speech directly. A trace of worry shed in Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. If Matriarch Gu had a heart attack, that would be disastrous. With that thought in mind, Qiao Nian wrapped up her speech in a few words. Then, she bowed to everyone and ended the speech. Just as Qiao Nian was about to leave, thunderous apuse exploded in the hall. Qiao Nian saw Jiang Yue walk towards Matriarch Gu first. ¡°Grandma.¡± Jiang Yue reached out to steady Matriarch Gu. Matriarch Gu retracted her hand and took a step back. She looked at Jiang Yue coldly. When everyone saw this, they were all stunned. They all knew that Matriarch Gu loved Jiang Yue the most. Jiang Yue¡¯s hand hovered in midair awkwardly. Her face was pale as she looked at Matriarch Gu uneasily. ¡°Grandma, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Matriarch Gu had always had a good temper, but this time, she could barely suppress her emotions. With a cold expression, she asked, ¡°Jiang Yue, what is wrong with you? Why are you wearing the gown I¡¯ve specially prepared for Nian Nian?¡± Matriarch Gu¡¯s words resounded throughout the entire lecture hall. Everyone was stunned. Goodness, so Jiang Yue was really wearing Qiao Nian¡¯s gown. At that moment, it was as if Jiang Yue was struck with lightning. Her mind wentpletely nk. She couldn¡¯t hear anything apart from the ringing in her ears. She sensed that everyone was looking at her, despising her, and spurning her with scorn! Chapter 164 - 164 Reversal ?164: Reversal 164: Reversal Editor: As Studios How could this be? Jiang Yue managed to squeeze out a slightly unnatural smile. Her gentle voice trembled as she said, ¡°Grandma, are you joking? All my gowns were handmade by you!¡± If Jiang Yue had not said this, Matriarch Gu would not have been so angry. This was the first time she had made a gown for Nian Nian. This was a token of her appreciation for Nian Nian, but it had been ruined by the granddaughter she had watched grow up. ¡°Jiang Yue, does the gown you¡¯re wearing now fit you?¡± Matriarch Gu asked coldly. ¡°The waist of the gown is about to tear from the tightness. The gown is already deformed from the strain, and it has lost its beauty¡­¡± ¡°Grandma!¡± Jiang Yue looked at Matriarch Gu in disbelief. She had not expected Matriarch Gu to say such ugly words in public. If other people heard her words, she would live in ridicule for the rest of her life. Jiang Yue¡¯s eyes turned red, and her tears began falling uncontrobly. ¡°Grandma, how can you say that about me? I¡¯m your granddaughter. In the past, you had always made gowns for me. How would I have known that you would suddenly make a gown for Sister Nian Nian this time round?¡± Looking ck as thunder, Matriarch Gu said, ¡°So you¡¯re also aware of how many gowns I¡¯ve made for you. This time, I made just the one for Nian Nian. Do you have to cry so bitterly?¡± Jiang Yue raised her hand to her face and wiped her tears. The more Matriarch Gu thought about it, the angrier she became. She continued, ¡°Moreover, I was also worried that you would feel unhappy, so I specially invited Mr. S to design a gown tailored for you. Last night, I even added embroidery to your gown by hand. That gown is also a token of my goodwill. Where did that gown go?¡± At this moment, Zhao Qian walked over with two servants and handed over the unopened box containing the gown. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Matriarch Gu was so irate that she began panting heavily. Frowning, she said, ¡°You didn¡¯t even open it to take a look?¡± ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s not like that. I thought that one wasn¡¯t mine.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Matriarch Gu looked at Jiang Yue coldly and asked, ¡°How do you not know what your size is? This gown is clearly too small for you. It¡¯s obvious that only Nian Nian can fit into this gown. Look at you!¡± Thest bit of blood drained from Jiang Yue¡¯s face. She turned paler and paler. Matriarch Gu grew angrier and angrier as she spoke. She shouted furiously, ¡°Why are you standing there like a fool? Take off the gown now and return it to Nian Nian!¡± Jiang Yue looked at Matriarch Gu in disbelief. She had never expected Matriarch Gu to ask her to take off her gown right now. With teary eyes, Jiang Yue said pitifully, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ve already put on this gown. How can I take it off now? Do you mean to ruin my reputation in school? I¡¯ll never be able to have a foothold here again if I do as you ask.¡± Seeing Matriarch Gu¡¯s cold expression, Jiang Yue said pleadingly, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m about to go on stage to give my speech. Can I change into the other gown after the speech?¡± At this moment, Qiao Nian walked over from the podium. This was the first time Qiao Nian had seen Matriarch Gu lose her temper. She hurriedly consoled her, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t be angry. This isn¡¯t good for your health.¡± When Matriarch Gu saw Qiao Nian, she hurriedly grabbed her hand and said guiltily, ¡°Nian Nian, it¡¯s all Grandma¡¯s fault. If I had asked you to leave the house in your gown today, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. Jiang Yue is too bold. I can¡¯t believe that she did such a thing.¡± ¡­ The onlookers were all stunned. ¡°Jiang Yue is really wearing Professor Qiao¡¯s gown!¡± ¡°Did you guys realize that Matriarch Gu seems to like Professor Qiao more?¡± ¡°Matriarch Gu seems to be apologizing on behalf of Jiang Yue. In that case, Matriarch Gu must really love both of them. The two of them should be equally important to Matriarch Gu.¡± Chapter 165 - 165 Goodwill ?165: Goodwill 165: Goodwill Editor: As Studios ¡°I think Jiang Yue is more important to Matriarch Gu. It¡¯s only when educating their own flesh and blood do parents show no mercy.¡± ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect Jiang Yue to steal someone else¡¯s gown!¡± ¡°No wonder the gown she¡¯s wearing seems a little strange!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve all been fooled by her innocent appearance. We really thought that Professor Qiao was trying to snatch her gown!¡± ¡­ Jiang Yue¡¯s face grew paler and paler as she listened to the sarcasticments around her. She clenched her fists tightly, swaying on the spot. Qiao Nian was very worried that Matriarch Gu¡¯s heart disease would re up again. Hurriedly, she rubbed Matriarch Gu¡¯s back gently and said in aforting voice, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t be angry anymore. Your health is the most important thing. Why didn¡¯t you tell me beforehand that you wereing?¡± Matriarch Gu looked at Qiao Nian carefully. Seeing that Qiao Nian didn¡¯t seem to be angry at all even after her gown had been stolen, Matriarch Gu med herself even more. She said uneasily, ¡°I stayed up all night yesterday because I hoped that both of you would be able to wear the most perfect gowns here today.¡± One by one, Jiang Yue¡¯s tears fell without a sound, falling onto the diamond pieces embedded in the gown. She felt as if the gown she was wearing was mocking her. Qiao Nian was very touched by Matriarch Gu¡¯s words. She disliked Jiang Yue greatly. If it weren¡¯t for Jiang Yue¡¯s vanity, Grandma¡¯s good intentions wouldn¡¯t have been ruined. Matriarch Gu gave a soft sigh and said, ¡°I knew that both of you would be going on stage to give a speech. How could I not have attended such a momentous event? I was just too tired, so I asked Zhao Qian to bring the gowns over first. I never expected such a situation to happen. If I had known this would happen, I would have left early on my own.¡± As Matriarch Gu finished speaking, her gaze inadvertently fell on Jiang Yue, who was still standing at the side. She frowned and said, ¡°Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and change out of the gown! Look at the state of you! Wearing someone else¡¯s gown¡­¡± Jiang Yue looked at Matriarch Gu in disbelief. She had not expected Matriarch Gu to be so insistent on changing her gown. Jiang Yue¡¯s heart sank, and she felt a wave of hurt. Biting her lip, she hesitated for a long while before saying, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take it off. But even so, this gown can only be worn once. She can¡¯t wear it again for the rest of her life!¡± As Jiang Yue spoke, she looked resentfully at Qiao Nian. When Matriarch Gu heard Jiang Yue¡¯s words, her temper red up again. She had initially wanted to protect Jiang Yue¡¯s dignity to some extent, but her anger had now extinguished her rationality. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think you¡¯re the first person to wear this gown!¡± When Jiang Yue heard this, her heart skipped a beat. She felt a chill run down her spine, and an ominous feeling rose in her heart. She watched as Matriarch Gu took out her phone. Matriarch Gu pulled up the photographs she had taken of Qiao Nian on her phone. She handed the phone to Jiang Yue and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re wrong there. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s wearing someone else¡¯s gown.¡± Many people had already gathered around. One by one, they leaned forward and looked at Matriarch Gu¡¯s phone curiously. In the photograph, Qiao Nian was wearing the diamond-encrusted gown, standing elegantly by a window. SHe was bathed in sunlight, and her entire body was glowing bright gold. Even her hair was shining. When everyone saw this photograph, they were all stunned! Qiao Nian was like a fairy, while Jiang Yue was like a servant waiting on a fairy. They were wearing the same gown, yet the resulting effects were like night and day. Jiang Yue¡¯s heart sank to her stomach. She looked at the photograph in disbelief. She had known that she and Qiao Nian would look different wearing this gown, but she had never expected the difference to be so overwhelmingly great. Qiao Nian looked like she belonged in heaven, while Jiang Yue looked in and ordinary. Jiang Yue¡¯s mind was in a mess. Matriarch Gu retracted her phone and said in mild annoyance, ¡°Take off that gown now. You have to know that a gown can only be worn once, and can only be loyal to one owner. Change into the other gown.¡± With great foresight, Zhao Qian took out the other gown from the box. This gown stunned everyone present. Chapter 166 - 166 Change ?166: Change 166: Change Editor: As Studios Although this gown that belonged to Jiang Yue was different from the ck diamond gown, it gave off a gentle aura of purity. The gown was a light shade of purple, and the embroidery at the neckline and hip revealed a serene beauty. When Jiang Yue saw this gown, her eyes lit up. Tears began falling uncontrobly. Grandma was right. This gown was made for her. Be it in terms of design or embroidery, it was everything she loved. Seeing that Jiang Yue was still standing there, Matriarch Gu said angrily, ¡°Look at you. This gown isn¡¯t suitable for you. The threads are about to snap, yet you¡¯re still wearing it. What do you look like? Hurry up and take it off!¡± When Qiao Nian heard Matriarch Gu¡¯s words, her gaze fell on Jiang Yue¡¯s waist. She could already see the threads unraveling there. She couldn¡¯t help but frown. If Grandma wasn¡¯t here, she wouldn¡¯t mind even if the gown split open while Jiang Yue was speaking on stage. Now, however, she was worried that if something happened to Jiang Yue, Grandma would be upset. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze fell on Jiang Yue¡¯s face. She continued, ¡°Why don¡¯t you change out of your gown? That purple gown looks nicer. It suits you better.¡± When Jiang Yue heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, disgust shed in her eyes. Although she liked the gown Grandma had prepared for her, she still preferred this gown with diamonds all over it. She had yearned for such a gown for a long time. Jiang Yue still couldn¡¯t figure out why Grandma would give a gown she liked the best to Qiao Nian. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m sorry.¡± With tears in her eyes, Jiang Yue looked pathetically at Matriarch Gu. ¡°Since I¡¯ve already put on this gown, I won¡¯t take it off again.¡± Jiang Yue¡¯s dignity wouldn¡¯t allow her to change out of her gown right now. Even if she had to take it off, she would only do so after her speech. Matriarch Gu¡¯s eyes widened in anger. She began panting heavily. All this time, Jiang Yue had always been an obedient and adorable child. This was the first time she had seen Jiang Yue willfully disobeying her. At this moment, the host invited Jiang Yue onto the stage for a speech. Jiang Yue looked at Matriarch Gu with a determined expression. She gave Matriarch Gu an elegant bow before walking towards the podium. At this point, there was no turning back. Matriarch Gu was panting heavily with rage. Qiao Nian hurriedly patted Matriarch Gu¡¯s back andforted her softly. ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Matriarch Gu finally managed to catch her breath. She looked at Jiang Yue in disbelief and said in a disappointed voice, ¡°What exactly is this girl thinking today? She used to be very obedient and sensible. How did she be like this?¡± Qiao Nian did not speak. Instead, she looked at Jiang Yue, who was standing at the podium. Her eyes darkened. In life, every person was bound to have certain obsessions, or certain matters on which they were unwilling topromise. She guessed that Jiang Yue¡¯s would be insisting on only wearing gowns handmade by Matriarch Gu. Seeing that Jiang Yue was being disobedient, Matriarch Gu said, ¡°Nian Nian, don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m not angry. I was the first to wear this gown. In my heart, it already belongs to me. Moreover, you¡¯ve already taken many photographs of me, haven¡¯t you? I think it will still belong to me in the future.¡± Qiao Nian smiled and consoled Matriarch Gu. When Matriarch Gu heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, she was overjoyed. She yearned to give Qiao Nian all the best things in the world. This was her darling girl. ¡°Ah!¡± Jiang Yue¡¯s scream suddenly rang out. Amplified by the microphone, it became so loud and piercing that everyone hurriedly covered their ears. Everyone looked over and saw that Jiang Yue¡¯s gown was no longer covering her appropriately. She was covering her chest with both hands, looking terrified. This gown was simply too small for Jiang Yue. Her mind had been in a mess just now, and she hadpletely forgotten to suck in her stomach. The gown had burst open, and it was now hanging on her like a rag. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 167 - 167 Humiliated ?167: Humiliated 167: Humiliated Editor: As Studios Jiang Yue¡¯s face was flushed bright red with embarrassment. She stood there awkwardly, looking at the lustful glints in the eyes of the men below the stage. One by one, tears fell from her face. Now, Jiang Yue looked pitiful and utterly helpless. Seeing Jiang Yue like this, Matriarch Gu¡¯s face turned even paler. She looked at Jiang Yue with heartache, her body trembling involuntarily. Qiao Nian, who had been supporting Matriarch Gu, naturally noticed that Matriarch Gu was trembling. Her eyes darkened. If Matriarch Gu wasn¡¯t here, she wouldn¡¯t even bother with Jiang Yue. However, Jiang Yue had been raised by Matriarch Gu, and Matriarch Gu still loved Jiang Yue after all. Coupled with the fact that Jiang Yue was nowbeled with the Gu family¡¯s name¡­ Now, the Gu family and Jiang Yue were on the same boat. If dishonor was brought upon one party, the other would be humiliated as well. Qiao Nian was worried that Matriarch Gu¡¯s illness would worsen because of her anxiety. Her gaze fell on the red cloth on the table beside her. She walked over and pulled it off the table, causing the cards on it to fall to the ground. Qiao Nian walked up to Jiang Yue and draped the red cloth over her body. Jiang Yue¡¯s trembling body suddenly froze. She looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief. Qiao Nian looked extremely elegant in the ck gown, but what about her? Her gown had burst open, and she could only pull the red tablecloth tighter around herself. Jiang Yue could clearly feel the coldness radiating from Qiao Nian. Even after thinking through all the possible oues, she would still have never expected Qiao Nian to be the one to protect her at this critical moment. Actually, Jiang Yue wasn¡¯t the only one who was shocked. The others were also stunned. ¡°Am I blind? Jiang Yue stole Professor Qiao¡¯s gown, but Professor Qiao still helped her?¡± ¡°Professor Qiao is really amazing!¡± ¡°Professor Qiao is truly a person who sees the big picture. She must be an outstanding person. Outstanding people are always so outstanding, no matter at what juncture!¡± ¡­ Seeing that Jiang Yue was still standing there unmoving, Qiao Nian frowned a little and said coldly, ¡°Are you nning to continue your speech?¡± Jiang Yue came back to her senses. ¡°Hurry up and get changed. If Grandma has another heart attack because of you, I¡¯ll never let you off the hook.¡± Narrowing her eyes, Qiao Nian said coldly. When Jiang Yue heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, she turned slowly to look at Matriarch Gu, inch by inch. Her gaze finallynded on Matriarch Gu¡¯s face. She saw Grandma looking at her anxiously. ¡°Grandma¡­ Grandma,¡± Jiang Yue called out silently. Previously, she had thought that Grandma was only insisting that she take off the gown because it belonged to Qiao Nian. Now, it seemed that she had misinterpreted Grandma¡¯s intentions. Grandma was just worried that the gown would split open and ruin her image. Jiang Yue lowered her head in shame and walked awkwardly towards the changing room, not daring to take another look at the audience. When she arrived at the changing room, Jiang Yue locked the door with trembling hands. All the strength in her body seemed to have drained out of her. Leaning against the door, she slid down, falling onto the ground. After an indeterminate amount of time, Jiang Yue came back to her senses. She got up from the ground and walked to the fitting room mirror. She had held her head high her entire life. She was the idol of many socialites, and the goddess admired by many young masters. But all of this had been ruined. How could this be? Why was fate so cruel to her? She had waited for so many years just to stand on that podium to give a speech. She had prepared so much, but she hadn¡¯t expected everything to end so dramatically. What she had expected even less was that Qiao Nian would step forward and save her at this moment. Although she knew very well that Qiao Nian had only saved her because of Grandma, the fact still remained that Qiao Nian had saved her. If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Nian, she might have been in an even worse state right now. She had even provoked Qiao Nian on purpose today and snatched her gown. She had gone too far. When Jiang Yue thought of Grandma¡¯s disappointed expression just now, her heart ached. Grandma must have been very disappointed in her. Chapter 168 - 168 Apologizing ?168: Apologizing 168: Apologizing Editor: As Studios To the people at the venue, Jiang Yue¡¯s incident was just a small interlude. The host quickly stood up and invited the third speaker to the stage to give their speech. Thinking of Jiang Yue¡¯s state just now, Matriarch Gu grew extremely worried. She began walking towards the changing room. Qiao Nian had been staying by Matriarch Gu¡¯s side. Since Matriarch Gu was not in good health, she was worried that something would happen to her. She said softly, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Matriarch Gu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Her gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face, and her heart seemed to be clenched tightly by an invisible hand. This child must have suffered a lot in the past! Silently, she endured the unfairness of everything, but on the surface, she pretended that nothing was wrong. Matriarch Gu held onto Qiao Nian¡¯s hand. Her eyes were red-rimmed as she said gently, ¡°Nian Nian, you don¡¯t have to ept someone you don¡¯t like for my sake. You just have to follow your heart.¡± Qiao Nian was slightly stunned. She could sense her grandmother¡¯s love for her. ¡°Grandma.¡± For the first time, Qiao Nian didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°You should blossom with your own unique light. You don¡¯t have to live under anyone¡¯s shadow. As long as you live freely ording to your whims and follow your heart, that will do,¡± Matriarch Gu said gently. Hearing Matriarch Gu¡¯s words, Qiao Nian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She felt intensely touched. Pursing her lips, she nodded with a smile. Matriarch Gu pursed her lips and gently patted Qiao Nian¡¯s hand, then walked towards the changing room. Matriarch Gu had only taken a few steps when she saw Jiang Yueing out. ¡°Grandmother.¡± Jiang Yue was wearing the purple gown. After tidying up a little, her disheveled appearance had disappeared, leaving behind only a gentle aura. No one had expected Jiang Yue to regain herposure and step out in public once again after making such a huge fool of herself. It seemed that Jiang Yue was a very strong-willed person. Matriarch Gu had initially wanted to scold Jiang Yue, but when she recalled how pitiful Jiang Yue had looked on stage just now, she hesitated. However, Matriarch Gu did not want to forgive Jiang Yue so quickly either, as she was worried that Jiang Yue would be increasingly disobedient in the future. Hence, she said coldly, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gotten lost?¡± Jiang Yue¡¯s eyes were red. She pursed her lips. She had to regain all the dignity she had lost today. She walked up to Qiao Nian and gave a respectful perpendicr bow. ¡°Sister Nian Nian, I brought all of this upon myself. I¡¯ve let you down. Not only did I ruin your gown, but I also ruined Grandma¡¯s good intentions. I¡¯m really sorry. I hope you can forgive me. I¡¯ll fix the gown as soon as possible.¡± When the onlookers heard Jiang Yue¡¯s words, they were all astonished. ¡°Senior Jiang Yue lowered herself to apologize. Looks like she truly knows that she¡¯s in the wrong!¡± ¡°Sigh, Senior Jiang Yue has been so humiliated just now. She¡¯s been punished enough. After all, this was all a misunderstanding from the beginning!¡± ¡°Actually, there¡¯s nothing wrong with Senior Jiang Yue mistaking the gown to be hers. After all, Matriarch Gu only used to make gowns for her in the past. Most people would definitely think that the gown Grandma made was meant for them.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes. It¡¯s human nature!¡± ¡°Professor Qiao, why don¡¯t you forgive Senior Jiang Yue?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. It was just a misunderstanding back then. Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared and Senior Jiang Yue has apologized, please forgive her!¡± ¡­ Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes were as cool as water. She stood there silently, looking at Jiang Yue without a word. Not only did Matriarch Gu, who was standing at the side, not heave a sigh of relief, but her frown grew deeper and deeper. Her eyes were filled withplicated emotions. ¡°Just because you¡¯ve apologized, does that mean she has to ept your apology?¡± Suddenly, a maic male voice rang out from the side, filled with sarcasm. Everyone looked over. They didn¡¯t expect the speaker to be Gu Zhou! Gu Zhou had a hand in his pocket. He exuded a cold aura that made one subconsciously retreat several steps away. Chapter 169 - 169 Seeing Through People ?169: Seeing Through People 169: Seeing Through People Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou in astonishment. She had never expected Gu Zhou to voice aloud exactly what she had been thinking. At this moment, Jiang Yue was also stunned. She looked toward Gu Zhou tearfully, disbelief written all over her face. ¡°Brother Ah Zhou¡­¡± Only at this moment did Jiang Yue remember that Gu Zhou had witnessed all of her humiliation just now. However, he hadn¡¯t stepped forward to help her out of her predicament. Not only that, but when she had tried to regain what was left of her dignity, he had deliberately spoken up to suppress her efforts. Jiang Yue¡¯s heart turnedpletely cold. ¡°Brother Ah Zhou, I know I¡¯m in the wrong. I really do.¡± Jiang Yue looked at Gu Zhou with red-rimmed eyes, her voice choked with emotion. ¡°I really didn¡¯t know that this gown was meant for Sister Nian Nian. I will find a way to fix it¡­¡± Towards the end, Jiang Yue was already sobbing. ¡°What¡¯s the point of fixing something that¡¯s already broken?¡± Gu Zhou retorted, his words still dripping with sarcasm. Jiang Yue was now sobbing uncontrobly. Qiao Nian was beginning to see Gu Zhou in a new light. She looked at him as if she were looking at an interesting novelty. Could Gu Zhou be reading her mind? Otherwise, why would he be able to say everything she wanted to say? Gu Zhou retracted his gaze from Jiang Yue¡¯s face, the disdain in his eyes obvious. He walked up to Matriarch Gu, lowering his gaze, and said gently, ¡°Grandma, you must be tired. Let¡¯s go home now!¡± Jiang Yue looked at Gu Zhou anxiously. Still sobbing, she spoke, ¡°Brother Ah Zhou, Sister Nian Nian¡­¡± Matriarch Gu was already getting impatient. When she heard Jiang Yue continuing to speak, she frowned and said coldly, ¡°Jiang Yue, I can tell that you know your mistake. Because of that, you¡¯re a good child, and you know how to reflect upon your actions. However, it¡¯s Nian Nian¡¯s choice whether to forgive you or not. You shouldn¡¯t have apologized in front of everyone, much less forced Nian Nian to be the bigger person and forgive you. If you¡¯re really sincere, you should apologize to her in private. Alright, we¡¯ll talk after we get back!¡± Qiao Nian was not at all surprised by Matriarch Gu¡¯s words. Although Matriarch Gu doted on Jiang Yue a lot, she did not unconditionally indulge Jiang Yue. No wonder Gu Zhou was so good at seeing through people. So he had taken after Matriarch Gu! Jiang Yue had never expected Matriarch Gu to directly expose her thoughts. In her purple gown, she looked like an abandoned angel. Liu Yu stood at the side and watched as Matriarch Gu, Gu Zhou, and Qiao Nian left. Suddenly, an idea struck her. She opened her mouth and got ready to expose everything her uncle had found out about Qiao Nian. However, when she thought about how Jiang Yue was now at a disadvantage, she realized that no one would be on their side, even if she exposed the dirt she had on Qiao Nian. She could only wait until the next time to take revenge on Qiao Nian with Jiang Yue¡¯s help. As she thought about this, Liu Yu¡¯s lips curved up involuntarily. Suddenly, Liu Yu saw Qiao Nian turn back to look at her. The smile on her face froze. Qiao Nian narrowed her fox-like eyes, staring unblinkingly at Liu Yu, her expression cold. Liu Yu was frightened by Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze. She hurriedly looked away and lowered her eyes guiltily. Her breathing quickened involuntarily. Strange. Why was Qiao Nian looking at her? Did Qiao Nian know that she had dirt on her? This was impossible! Her uncle was a top hacker. If he wanted to investigate someone, he would leave no trace. Liu Yu¡¯s mind was in a mess. Qiao Nian retracted her gaze indifferently. Her gaze fell on Jiang Yue¡¯s pale face. She raised her eyebrow and asked, ¡°Are you very close to Liu Yu?¡± When Jiang Yue heard Qiao Nian¡¯s question, she was slightly stunned. She didn¡¯t understand why Qiao Nian would mention Liu Yu. She said casually, ¡°She¡¯s my ssmate.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Jiang Yue intently, as if she didn¡¯t believe Jiang Yue¡¯s words. Speaking slowly, she said, ¡°Help me tell her that her uncle should behave himself. He shouldn¡¯t be investigating the private affairs of other people. Even if he does, he shouldn¡¯t be giving himself away. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid that he won¡¯t even be aware of whose wrath he¡¯s facing before he¡¯s killed.¡± Chapter 170 - 170 Infertility ?170: Infertility 170: Infertility Editor: As Studios Jiang Yue felt a chill run down her spine. She stopped in her tracks for a moment before she continued walking after the group. Did Qiao Nian already know that Liu Yu¡¯s uncle was investigating her? Since Qiao Nian was so capable, did that mean that Qiao Nian also knew that she had agreed to the investigation? Jiang Yue felt extremely uneasy. After a long while, she said, ¡°Second Sister-inw, did¡­ did you misunderstand?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Qiao Nian gave Jiang Yue a meaningful look, then retracted her gaze and followed Matriarch Gu towards the door. Jiang Yue¡¯s brow furrowed deeper and deeper. She was nowpletely certain that Qiao Nian knew about those things. Goodness, what should she do? Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes turned cold. She didn¡¯t think there was any misunderstanding. Liu Yu and Jiang Yue¡¯s reactions just now had already exined everything. She had already heeded Grandma¡¯s words. For Grandma¡¯s sake, although she didn¡¯t like Jiang Yue, she was still willing to give Jiang Yue a chance to turn over a new leaf. She was curious. Would Jiang Yue, who often probed her and tried to trip her up behind her back, and even hired an outsider to investigate her, really be able to turn over a new leaf? In any case, Qiao Nian didn¡¯t believe that she would. Her eyes grew colder and colder. When they arrived at the car, Chen Qing hurriedly opened the door to the backseat and helped Matriarch Gu into the car. Qiao Nian got in from the other side. Just as Jiang Yue was about to get into the car, Gu Zhou stepped forward unexpectedly and closed the door of the backseat. Jiang Yue was slightly taken aback. She saw Gu Zhou getting in the front passenger seat, and heard him instruct Chen Qing to begin driving. Just like that, the car flew past her. Jiang Yue was utterly stunned. Matriarch Gu sat in the backseat. Through the rearview mirror, she glimpsed Jiang Yue¡¯s pale and helpless little face. She felt a tinge of heartache. She had raised Jiang Yue since she was a little girl. ¡°Ah Zhou, Jiang Yue is alone¡­¡± ¡°Grandma, I have a phobia of women,¡± Gu Zhou said earnestly, looking back at Matriarch Gu. Matriarch Gu was at a loss for words. ¡°She can juste home with Zhao Qian,¡± Gu Zhou said impassively. ¡°I won¡¯t ept anyone of the opposite sex taking my car.¡± Qiao Nian had been musing about Jiang Yue and Liu Yu. When she heard Gu Zhou¡¯s words, she looked up at him in confusion. Was he subtly referring to her? Was Gu Zhou trying to say that she wasn¡¯t a woman? Matriarch Gu¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. She seemed to have thought of something, and her brow furrowed deeper and deeper. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Let me tell you, Nian Nian is your wife. The phobia you¡¯re talking about can¡¯t include her!¡± Gu Zhou sat up straight and said nothing. Matriarch Gu¡¯s gaze once again fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s stomach. Her frown grew deeper and deeper. After a beat, she looked at Gu Zhou with dissatisfaction and said angrily, ¡°The two of you have been married for so long. Why hasn¡¯t there been any news? Nian Nian¡¯s tummy looks the same as ever. Is there something wrong with your health?¡± Gu Zhou found himself speechless. Chen Qing almost let go of the steering wheel in shock. The more Matriarch Gu thought about it, the more she felt that she was right. Frowning, she said in a considerate manner, ¡°This won¡¯t do. I¡¯m worried. Let¡¯s go to the hospital now. Go and examine your body. By the way, for this issue, which department of the hospital should you be visiting?¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s expression turned ck as thunder. Annoyance shed in his eyes, and he had to interrupt her. ¡°Grandma, there¡¯s nothing wrong with my health!¡± Matriarch Gu looked at Gu Zhou worriedly. After some hesitation, she said, ¡°What if you¡¯re infertile?¡± It was as if Gu Zhou had turned to stone in an instant. When Chen Qing heard this, he had to hold back hisughter. As expected of Gu Zhou¡¯s own grandmother! ¡°Chen Qing, go to the hospital now!¡± The more Matriarch Gu spoke, the more she felt that there might be something wrong with Gu Zhou. She was extremely anxious. ¡°Drive home.¡± Gu Zhou looked a little helpless as he spoke. ¡°We have our own way of life. Don¡¯t let your thoughts run wild.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not overthinking. Your health has never been good to begin with, so it¡¯s expected that you might be infertile!¡± Matriarch Gu said seriously. ¡°It¡¯s what you¡¯re saying that¡¯s strange. You¡¯re only starting to get better now, and that¡¯s only because Nian Nian has been helping to treat your illness.¡± Gu Zhou could think of nothing to say in response. Chapter 171 - 171 Reprimand ?171: Reprimand 171: Reprimand Editor: As Studios At the thought of Gu Zhou¡¯s health, Matriarch Gu¡¯s expression became suffused with mncholy. She turned to look at Qiao Nian and urged, ¡°Nian Nian, if he bullies you, don¡¯t be afraid to let Grandma know. Grandma will definitely teach him a lesson for you!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s heart warmed. Her eyes sparkled, brightughter in her gaze. ¡°Okay.¡± Then, Matriarch Gu took Qiao Nian¡¯s hand and began chatting about some interesting things with a smile. Only then did Gu Zhou¡¯s tense heart rx. Once they arrived at the Gu family vi, Gu Zhou was worried that Matriarch Gu would ask him to go to the hospital for a physical examination again. Thus, he brought Chen Qing to the study. Meanwhile, Qiao Nian stayed with Matriarch Gu in the living room, chatting. Before long, Jiang Yue and Zhao Qian returned home as well. The two of them greeted Matriarch Gu politely. Matriarch Gu¡¯s mood had just lightened considerably, and she was beaming. However, when she glimpsed Jiang Yue, her smile instantly vanished. Her eyes gradually filled with anger. Jiang Yue knew Matriarch Gu well and could tell that she was angry. She quickly walked over and sat down beside Matriarch Gu, a fawning smile on her face. ¡°Grandma, what would you like to eat tonight? I¡¯ll make whatever dish you want for you right now.¡± Zhao Qian walked over and sat down beside Qiao Nian. In a low voice, she greeted, ¡°Second Sister-inw.¡± Qiao Nian greeted Zhao Qian with a faint smile. Because Matriarch Gu was angry, she was really worried that Matriarch Gu¡¯s heart disease would re up again. All her attention was on Matriarch Gu. Matriarch Gu¡¯s gaze fell on the servant who had just entered the room. Seeing the gown the servant was holding, she frowned and turned to look at Zhao Qian. In a manner that was still considerably gentle, she asked, ¡°Qian Qian, did you tell Jiang Yue that the gown I made was for Nian Nian?¡± Zhao Qian looked at Matriarch Gu and nodded. ¡°Grandma, I did.¡± When Jiang Yue heard Zhao Qian¡¯s words, the blood drained from her face. She stammered an exnation. ¡°Grandma, I thought Qian Qian was joking with me. I¡­¡± Matriarch Gu¡¯s expression improved a great deal. She heaved a sigh of relief. Ever since she had spoken to Zhao Qian, the child had shed her prejudice against Nian Nian. Once again, Matriarch Gu¡¯s gaze fell on Jiang Yue¡¯s face. Seeing that her eyes had turned red, she said, ¡°Get all the servants here!¡± Within three minutes, all the servants in the Gu family vi were standing in the living room. Matriarch Gu swept her gaze across everyone present. Intentionally or otherwise, her gaze lingered on Jiang Yue¡¯s face for a while longer. Her eyes were filled with coldness, and her grave, stately aura frightened everyone so much that they did not dare to move. ¡°Today, I have something to say!¡± Matriarch Gu said as she stood up from the sofa. Jiang Yue hurriedly went to help Matriarch Gu up, but was pushed away by Matriarch Gu. Jiang Yue¡¯s expression faltered. Qiao Nian helped Matriarch Gu walk towards the servants. Zhao Qian followed behind Qiao Nian like an obedientmb. ¡°From now on, if any fool dares to slight Young Madam, don¡¯t me me for being impolite.¡± Matriarch Gu tried hard to suppress her anger. If she had not raised Jiang Yue herself, she would have chased her out of the house long ago. Hearing Matriarch Gu¡¯s words, Qiao Nian felt a strange disturbance in her heart. It was as if a stone had fallen into the stillke of her heart, causing ripples to bloom across the initially calm surface. Qiao Nian knew very well that Grandma¡¯s words were meant for Jiang Yue to hear. Jiang Yue was no fool. She could naturally tell that Matriarch Gu was referring to her. Her eyes grew even redder, and her hands dug into her palms involuntarily. Her heart ached terribly. In the past, everyone knew of Young Mistress Jiang Yue of the Gu family. Today, she had been thoroughly humiliated at the speech ceremony. Now that she had returned home, Grandma had even deliberately embarrassed her in front of so many people. Jiang Yue¡¯s mind was in a mess. She was a little worried that Grandma would take back everything she had. Chapter 172 - 172 Blessing Bag ?172: Blessing Bag 172: Blessing Bag Editor: As Studios With teary eyes, Jiang Yue lowered her gaze. Grandma would never abandon her. Never! Grandma had been angry in the past, but her anger would always dissipate after a few days. Matriarch Gu looked at the servant who was carrying the box. Her gaze then fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face and she said gently, ¡°Nian Nian, this gown is already ruined and can¡¯t be worn anymore. Grandma will take it away for you. In the future, I¡¯ll make another gown for you.¡± ¡°Grandma, there¡¯s no need. I¡¯ll keep this as a memento!¡± Qiao Nian said with a smile. ¡°How can that be? This gown is already ruined.¡± Matriarch Gu frowned in disapproval. ¡°Grandma, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯ll fix it. Even if it¡¯s ruined, Grandma spent several nights preparing this gown specially for me. The love you sewed into this gown, stitch by stitch, is the most important thing to me,¡± Qiao Nian said. When Matriarch Gu heard this, she was so touched that tears welled up in her eyes. Nian Nian was such an obedient and lovable youngdy. She liked her more and more every passing day. Zhao Qian stood at the side and smiled. ¡°Grandma, do as Second Sister-inw wishes!¡± Suppressing her tears, Matriarch Gu nodded gently. Seeing this, Jiang Yue¡¯s heart felt empty. Her tears fell silently, and she turned to leave without saying anything. Out of the corner of her eye, Matriarch Gu caught sight of Jiang Yue¡¯s retreating back. A dozen emotions surged in her heart. Regardless of which perspective one took, these children were like her own flesh and blood. She doted on all of them equally. However, Jiang Yue had gone too far this time. She just hoped that Jiang Yue could reflect on her actions and stop doing such things in the future. At this moment, Matriarch Gu suddenly recalled something. She smiled at Qiao Nian and asked, ¡°Nian Nian, do you know how to make a fortune bag for peace and blessings?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Have you heard of the eldest daughter of the Lu family, who died young in her early years?¡± Matriarch Gu¡¯s expression turned serious. After Qiao Nian had met Lu Zhu, she had investigated the situation with the Lu family. She had also heard of the eldest daughter, who had passed away at a very young age. However, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for her to know this, so she shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Matriarch Gu pulled Qiao Nian to sit down. Seeing this, Zhao Qian took all the servants away. ¡°The eldest daughter of the Lu family is a pitiful child. The poor girl. She was only two years old back then. Sigh. Just like that, she was gone.¡± When Matriarch Gu said this, her expression was full of sorrow. Qiao Nian lowered her gaze. She didn¡¯t have much of an opinion on these matters, so she quietly listened to Matriarch Gu speak. ¡°Now, it¡¯s almost her birthday. In the past, I used to be the one making blessing bags for her.¡± Matriarch Gu lowered her head and looked at her hands. ¡°Grandma is getting old. A few days ago, I used my hands continuously as well. I think my hands are a little weak now. I¡¯m afraid Grandma won¡¯t be able to make a good blessing bag. Can you help me make one?¡± Qiao Nian nodded. ¡°Okay, sure.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still more than a week left. The date is the 13th of August. There¡¯s enough time. When the timees, help me send the fortune bag over,¡± Matriarch Gu said. When Qiao Nian heard Matriarch Gu¡¯s words, she froze for a moment. Her birthday was also on this day. If that was the case, serendipity must have been involved in this. Perhaps she was destined to do something for the eldest daughter of the Lu family. ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t worry. After I make the blessing bag, I¡¯ll definitely recite the Earth Bodhisattva Sutra to pray for her,¡± Qiao Nian said with a serious expression. When Matriarch Gu heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, a kind smile appeared on her face. ¡°Alright. I always feel at ease after leaving things in your hands.¡± Qiao Nian smiled. Matriarch Gu gave some more instructions. After she was done, she stood up and said, ¡°Sigh, I¡¯m really getting old and useless. I¡¯ll return to my room to rest first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you back!¡± Qiao Nian stood up and helped Matriarch Gu up. ¡°There¡¯s no need. You have important things to do. Go ahead.¡± Matriarch Gu smiled and waved her hand. ¡°Okay.¡± Qiao Nian watched as Matriarch Gu left, her gaze gradually turning cold. Before she made the blessing bag for Miss Lu, she had to return to the Qiao family home first. There were some things she had to figure out. Chapter 173 - 173 Calling ?173: Calling 173: Calling Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian wanted to know if her biological parents were still alive. If they were no longer around, then as their daughter, she should offer incense to her parents¡¯ graves. If they were still around, then all she wanted to know was why they hadn¡¯te looking for her. Why had they left her alone¡­ At the thought, Qiao Nian took out her phone and made a call. Her voice was as cold as ice. ¡°I want all the information on Qiu Nan from Feng Yun Gym.¡± Since she had already confirmed the suspicion that she was no rtion of Su Xue¡¯s, it was time for Su Xue¡¯s extramarital affairs to be exposed. At this moment, Qiao Nian¡¯s phone began to ring. She picked it up and nced at the caller ID. It was Su Xue. A trace of coldness shed in Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. She picked up the call and ced the phone to her ear. She said coldly, ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± ¡°Were you the first speaker at the Second Academy of Medicine?¡± Su Xue¡¯s voice was full of disbelief. ¡°Yes,¡± Qiao Nian answered impassively. After that, Su Xue hung up! Qiao Nian sneered. Su Xue¡¯s thoughts were not difficult to guess. While she had attended the speech ceremony as a lecturer at the Second Academy of Medicine, Qiao Xin had only managed to attend as a member of the audience, and only as Qiao Yu¡¯s plus one. Qiao Yu¡­ Qiao Nian¡¯s beautiful fox-like eyes narrowed and her expression turned serious. She was sure that nothing good woulde from Qiao Yu¡¯s return visit this time round. When Qiao Nian returned to her room, she received the information on Qiu Nan she had requested. She read it carefully, then used her phone to call Qiu Nan. Qiao Nian had studied voice acting in the past. When the call went through, she imitated Su Xue, putting on a fawning, pretentious manner as she spoke. ¡°Nan Nan.¡± ¡°Sister Xue?¡± Qiu Nan was slightly stunned. He continued, ¡°When did you change your phone number?¡± ¡°Sigh, Qiao Shan checked my phone. I was afraid that he would suspect me, so I bought another phone and SIM card.¡± ¡°Ah, my god! They won¡¯t find out, will they?¡± Qiu Nan said in fear. Still imitating Su Xue, Qiao Nian said in a nasally voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I told you that you were just one of my clients. He¡¯s so stupid that he didn¡¯t even give it a second thought. But don¡¯t call that number for the time being.¡± Upon hearing Qiao Nian¡¯s words, Qiu Nan clearly heaved a sigh of relief. His guard fell. ¡°Sister Xue, you haven¡¯te to visit me in a long time. I miss you so much. My little brother misses you too!¡± When Qiao Nian heard this, she almost threw up. She gritted her teeth and said in a girlish voice, ¡°Nan Nan, I miss you too.¡± As Qiao Nian spoke, she continued to browse through Qiu Nan¡¯s information. Qiu Nan had been obsessed with gambling these past few days, but his luck hadn¡¯t been good. He was bankrupt. To Qiu Nan, Qiao Nian¡¯s phone call was a lifesaver, because all Qiu Nan could do now was get money from Su Xue. Hence, Qiu Nan would never doubt whether the person speaking was truly Su Xue. ¡°Nan Nan, that old fogy will be going on a long trip tomorrow. I miss you so much. I¡¯ve already booked a suite at the Huangtian Hotel. I want to spend a wonderful time with you. By the way, in order not to arouse suspicion, I¡¯ll get someone to send you the room card. When the timees, you can go over first. I¡¯ll go overter, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, okay. Sister Xue, when the timees, I¡¯ll definitely give you a big surprise. Wait for me!¡± Qiu Nan said excitedly. Qiao Nian was about to throw up, but she still pretended to be joyful. In the same sweetly girlish voice, she said, ¡°Yes, Nan Nan, I will miss you very much today. I¡¯m looking forward to the surprise tomorrow!¡± ¡°Sister Xue, I love you. See you tomorrow!¡± ¡°See you!¡± With that, Qiao Nian hung up and heaved a sigh of relief. She picked up a cup and took a sip of water. Only then did she feel a little better. However, when Qiao Nian turned around, she saw Gu Zhou standing at the door with a cold expression, staring unblinkingly at her. Qiao Nian was shocked, but she didn¡¯t let it show on her face. Her lips parted slightly. Chapter 174 - 174 Cuckold ?174: Cuckold? 174: Cuckold? Editor: As Studios Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze was a little frightening¡­ Qiao Nian didn¡¯t know when Gu Zhou had arrived, but she was certain that he had heard the contents of her call. ¡°¡­ About that, actually¡­ I¡­¡± For the first time, Qiao Nian felt awkward. What should she say? She had been flirting with another man in front of her legal husband. Looking at Qiao Nian, Gu Zhou advanced towards her step by step. He narrowed his phoenix-like eyes and stared down at Qiao Nian¡¯s mouth. If he had not heard it with his own ears, he would never have believed that Qiao Nian¡¯s mouth would ever be able to spout such sweet, charming words. Most of the time, she couldn¡¯t be bothered to even open that mouth of hers. And she even knew how to y the part of the coquette! She didn¡¯t even speak coquettishly to him! Qiao Nian¡¯s back broke out into a cold sweat under Gu Zhou¡¯s re. She lowered her head guiltily, not daring to look at Gu Zhou. ¡°Mrs. Gu, who are you meeting tomorrow?¡± His voice was cold, and his gaze was piercing to the bone. Suppressing his anger, he spoke in a tone that made Qiao Nian¡¯s scalp go numb, especially when Gu Zhou addressed her as Mrs. Gu. The atmosphere in the room turned awkward. The air seemed to have frozen over. Qiao Nian sensed the pressure mounting. Carefully, she looked up at Gu Zhou and said hesitantly, ¡°Actually, this is just a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Misunderstanding?¡± Gu Zhou raised an eyebrow, his thin lips parting as he questioned her, his voice chilling. ¡°It¡¯s really a misunderstanding. I definitely didn¡¯t¡­¡± Before Qiao Nian could finish her sentence, Gu Zhou interrupted her. ¡°Mrs. Gu has never even invited me to spend a night in a suite, has she?¡± Qiao Nian: ¡°?¡± Why did she feel that Gu Zhou¡¯s words were tinged with sourness? No. Definitely not. She must have misheard. ¡°Um, in that case, why don¡¯t I take you there next time?¡± Qiao Nian asked softly. Gu Zhou frowned. His voice was low and slightly hoarse. ¡°Are you saying that I can¡¯t afford a luxury suite?¡± Qiao Nian was stunned. What did Gu Zhou mean by that? However, she quickly understood. Gu Zhou wanted her to make things clear. Qiao Nian gave it some serious thought, struggling with where to begin. ¡°Or could it be that Mrs. Gu thinks that wearing a green hat will suit me?¡±1 Hearing Gu Zhou¡¯s words, Qiao Nian¡¯s thoughts began to follow in that direction. For a few moments, she fantasized about Gu Zhou being made a cuckold. With that universally hated face of Gu Zhou¡¯s, he would look good even in a green hat. No! What was she thinking? She had never thought of making Gu Zhou a cuckold. Gu Zhou seemed to have already read Qiao Nian¡¯s mind. He bent down slightly and moved his gaze closer to Qiao Nian. He asked again, ¡°So, do I look good?¡± Qiao Nian was a little flustered by Gu Zhou¡¯s words. She took a step back and looked up at Gu Zhou, saying firmly, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe with me tomorrow?¡± Gu Zhou was slightly stunned. The anger in his eyes dissipated. ¡°What?¡± ¡°To watch a good show!¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s thin lips curved up slightly. ¡°Alright.¡± Qiao Nian heaved a sigh of relief, thinking that she had finally managed to get Gu Zhou off her back. ¡°I¡¯ll make some medicine for Grandma.¡± With that, Qiao Nian walked past Gu Zhou. However, Gu Zhou¡¯s next sentence made Qiao Nian turn as red as a lobster. ¡°Mrs. Gu, I¡¯m a little curious. What do you sound like when you¡¯re flirting in your own voice?¡± Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian intently, his eyes burning. Qiao Nian¡¯s breath caught in her throat. She tilted her head back to look up at Gu Zhou, feeling as if she was being sucked in by Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze. Her face grew even redder. Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian¡¯s flushed face. His heart lightened, and he felt a little happier. ¡°I-I have something on,¡± Qiao Nian stammered. ¡°I¡¯ll leave first.¡± With that, Qiao Nian fled. Gu Zhou gazed at Qiao Nian¡¯s retreating back. His beautiful phoenix-like eyes narrowed, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. His eyes seemed to grow ever more bottomless. His irises, dark as ink, were sparkling with dazzling starlight. Gu Zhou¡¯s breathing quickened as he stepped out of the room. ¡°Second Young Master.¡± A delicate voice came from behind him. Gu Zhou turned around and saw Wang Miao looking at him shyly. Wearing a green hat is ng for being a cuckold. Chapter 175 - 175 Blessing Bag ?175: Blessing Bag 175: Blessing Bag Editor: As Studios Wang Miao had specially gotten someone to help her with her makeup today. She looked much more exquisite than usual. However, Wang Miao in light makeup was still hardlyparable to Qiao Nian without makeup. Gu Zhou looked at Wang Miao with a dark expression, frowning. ¡°What is it?¡± Wang Miao took two steps forward, then took out the item she had been hiding behind her. She handed it to Gu Zhou and looked at him expectantly. Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze fell on Wang Miao¡¯s open palm. There he saw a pink blessing bag with lotus flowers embroidered on it. There was a faint scent of agarwood wafting from it. Seeing Gu Zhou staring at her, Wang Miao couldn¡¯t help but blush. She said shyly, ¡°Second Young Master, I¡¯ve specially made this blessing pouch for you. It¡¯s even been ced in front of Buddha for forty-nine days1. It¡­ it can ensure your safety and your health. I hope you can ept it!¡± Towards the end, Wang Miao¡¯s face turned bright red. She didn¡¯t even dare to look up at Gu Zhou. Gu Zhou did not take Wang Miao¡¯s blessing bag. The coldness in his eyes was obvious. His voice was extremely frigid. ¡°Is that so?¡± Wang Miao was extremely nervous. When she heard Gu Zhou¡¯s words, she thought that Gu Zhou had understood her good intentions. She said shyly, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of tainting Buddha¡¯s eyes?¡± Wang Miao froze. It was as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water over her head, chilling her to the bone. She looked at Gu Zhou in confusion, blinking her beautiful eyes in a puzzled manner. After a beat, she began to feel wronged. ¡°Second Young Master, actually, I¡­¡± As Wang Miao spoke, she deliberately exposed her hand. On her fingers were quite a number of scars, caused by sewing needles. She had identally injured herself many times when she was making the blessing bag. Naturally, Gu Zhou could tell what Wang Miao¡¯s intentions were. His expression darkened. ¡°If this happens again, get lost!¡± Wang Miao looked at Gu Zhou in disbelief, growing anxious. She said pitifully, ¡°Second Young Master, don¡¯t chase me away. I just wanted to help you a little. I really didn¡¯t have any other intentions. I¡­¡± Wang Miao felt a little guilty under Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze. She could not finish her sentence. Gu Zhou looked at Wang Miao coldly. If it weren¡¯t for Wang Lin, he would never have kept a person like Wang Miao around in the Gu family vi. That was because he felt guilty towards Wang Lin. If Wang Miao knew what was good for her, she would do her job quietly and obediently. In a panic, Wang Miao looked anxiously at Gu Zhou. Worried that Gu Zhou would chase her out, she quickly said, ¡°Second Young Master, don¡¯t be angry. If you¡¯re unhappy, I won¡¯t make you any more blessing bags. I¡¯ll make whatever you like!¡± Gu Zhou looked at Wang Miao coldly. His voice deceptively light, he asked, ¡°Are you asking if you have a chance to marry me?¡± Wang Miao¡¯s heart leaped to her throat. She looked at Gu Zhou in shock. She had never expected Gu Zhou to know what she was thinking, and to say it so bluntly. How could one speak aloud a girl¡¯s innermost thoughts just like that? Wang Miao lowered her gaze shyly and said in a girlish, delicate voice, ¡°Second Young Master, how can you say such things so bluntly? I¡­ I¡¯m not mentally prepared!¡± Gu Zhou waited for Wang Miao to finish speaking, then said coldly, ¡°Do you think any Tom, Dick, or Harry can rece Second Young Madam¡¯s position?¡± Wang Miao heard the sarcasm in Gu Zhou¡¯s words. In an instant, her heart, which was filled with love and admiration, sank into the abyss. She looked at Gu Zhou in fear and unease. ¡°Just this once. This won¡¯t happen again.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s voice was like that of a demon from hell, frightening Wang Miao so much that her legs began to tremble uncontrobly. She watched as Gu Zhou turned around and left without hesitation. Gu Zhou walked towards the stairs. For the past few years, he had been searching for the woman he had spent a night with. In the end, he finally managed to find Wang Lin, Wang Miao¡¯s older sister. Wang Lin had given birth to a child for him. He wanted to know more about what Wang Lin was like when she was alive. Wang Lin and Wang Miao were biological sisters. If Wang Miao acted like this, then Wang Lin¡­ At this moment, Gu Zhou felt that Wang Lin might not be the girl he had been looking for. Wang Lin stood there with teary eyes, her tears falling uncontrobly. She was unable to hide the greed and infatuation in her gaze. However, she no longer dared to chase after him. In Chinese culture, forty-nine days is amon praying period, especially for funeral rituals. Chapter 176 - 176 Encounter ?176: Encounter 176: Encounter Editor: As Studios Wang Miao clenched her fists tightly, biting down on her lower lip. Five years ago. He had paid their family a visit. Back then, she had fallen in love with him at first sight. When her older sister had died in childbirth, she had been very upset. However, seeing how upset he was, she yearned to have died in her sister¡¯s stead. She had heard from Chen Qing that he seemed to have fallen into someone¡¯s trap during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Because of that, he had spent a long time searching for the woman he had spent a night with. That woman was her older sister. Seeing how devoted he was to his sister, she had sworn to herself that she would marry him in the future. She wanted to stand by his side and take care of his family on behalf of her sister, so that he would never be sad again. For all these years, she had worked hard at her studies, and tried to grow up as fast as she could. She wanted to be more outstanding. Only then would she be qualified to marry him and heal his broken heart. However, Wang Miao had never expected to be one step toote. How could he forget her older sister? How could he marry another woman? At the thought, Wang Miao felt even worse. Wang Miao walked downstairs. Before long, she saw Qiao Nian holding the materials one would need to make a blessing bag. Wang Miao¡¯s expression faltered slightly. Her eyes were red as she stared at the items in Qiao Nian¡¯s hand. Her brow furrowed deeper and deeper. Seeing that something was wrong with Wang Miao¡¯s expression, Qiao Nian expressed some polite concern. ¡°Are you feeling unwell? I can help you take your pulse if you¡¯d like.¡± Wang Miao shook her head. Her voice trembled as she spoke, ¡°I¡­ I just didn¡¯t sleep wellst night. Are you going to make a blessing bag?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Qiao Nian nodded. She looked down at the silk, needles, and thread in her hand, thinking that she should send the materials to the temple for a longer period of time. The materials could absorb the good fortune of the temple, and she would make the blessing bag then. ¡°Young¡­ Young Madam, you¡¯re such a good person.¡± Wang Miao gazed at Qiao Nian, sounding dazed. ¡°No wonder Second Young Master likes you so much.¡± Qiao Nian thought to herself, ¡°Youngdy, are you blind? How can he possibly like me?¡± Qiao Nian felt that if she wasn¡¯t skilled at medicine, Gu Zhou would have left her for dead long ago. Like her? This was utterly impossible! Qiao Nian gave a perfunctory response. ¡°If you didn¡¯t sleep well, rest early today. I¡¯ll head out first. I have other things to do today.¡± With that, Qiao Nian turned and walked out. Wang Miao stood rooted to the ground, staring at Qiao Nian¡¯s retreating back. Her eyes grew even redder. Second Young Master must have known that Qiao Nian was making a blessing bag for him, which was why he wasn¡¯t willing to take hers. Wang Miao looked down at the blessing bag in her hand. It was embroidered with lotus flowers. She hadbored over the bag for a month before she had managed toplete the embroidery. The lotus flowers symbolized theming together for one hundred years of happiness. They would be together forever. She wanted to be with Gu Zhou for the rest of her life and never be apart. But she was well aware of the disdain in Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes. Wang Miao clenched the blessing bag in her hand involuntarily, her brow furrowed. She threw the blessing bag into the trash can. Baohua Temple. Qiao Nian went directly to the inner hall and donated some money to the temple. She then ced the silk fabric and thread she had prepared under Buddha¡¯s knees. Then, she knelt in front of Buddha to pray for Miss Lu. To Qiao Nian, death was like the extinguishing of amp. Once one died, one would no longer know anything. The reason why living people prayed for the dead was just to seek some peace of mind. This was also a spiritual pursuit. Qiao Nian gave three sincere kowtows before getting up. When she was locked up in the mental hospital, she had already made up her mind to live a good life for herself. Qiao Nian was about to leave when a girl with a bright smile walked towards her. ¡°Professor Qiao!¡± When Lu Qi saw Qiao Nian, she smiled and jogged up to her, her voice crisp. ¡°So you believe in Buddhism too!¡± Chapter 177 - 177 You Only Have One Older Sister ?177: You Only Have One Older Sister 177: You Only Have One Older Sister Editor: As Studios Seeing Lu Qi¡¯s smile, Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t help but smile as well. Her mood was now much better than usual. ¡°You don¡¯t have to treat me like an outsider. Just call me by my given name.¡± Lu Qi¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You¡¯re older than me. I¡¯ll call you Sister Nian Nian, okay?¡± Suddenly, an aged voice came from the side. ¡°Qi Qi, you only have one elder sister!¡± Qiao Nian looked over and saw an olddy with white hair. She appeared to be reserved and taciturn, unlike Matriarch Gu¡¯s natural amiability. Lu Qi¡¯s expression turned awkward. She quickly said, ¡°Nian Nian, this is my grandmother.¡± Lu Qi had changed the way she addressed Qiao Nian. Qiao Nian smiled at Matriarch Lu and greeted politely, ¡°Madam Lu, how do you do?¡± When Matriarch Lu heard Qiao Nian¡¯s voice, she shifted her gaze to Qiao Nian, sizing her up. Then, she nodded indifferently. ¡°So you¡¯re Professor Qiao Nian. I heard from Qi Qi that you¡¯re a knowledgeable youngdy.¡± After exchanging a few pleasantries, Qiao Nian took a good look at Matriarch Lu. Her lips were pale, and the whites of her eyes were slightly yellow. Qiao Nian narrowed her beautiful fox-like eyes, frowning a little. ¡°Madam Lu, have you been feeling unwelltely?¡± Matriarch Lu was stunned for a moment. ¡°Do you have any difficulty breathing in the middle of the night, or feel that your chest is tight?¡± Qiao Nian asked solemnly. When Matriarch Lu heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, a trace of surprise shed in her eyes. She nodded. ¡°A littletely.¡± Qiao Nian seemed to be deep in thought. She continued asking, ¡°Do you feel a swelling pain in your temples? Is your back perspiring? Do the soles of your feet feel like they¡¯re burning?¡± Matriarch Lu¡¯s gaze softened as she looked at Qiao Nian. She had long heard that some doctors could tell a person¡¯s health condition just by looking at their physiognomy. Now, it seemed that Qiao Nian was truly capable. ¡°A little.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s expression turned serious. She turned to look at Lu Qi and said, ¡°Hurry up and take Madam Lu to the hospital for a neurological examination. Also, do a full body examination.¡± Lu Qi¡¯s face turned pale in fear. Matriarch Lu was indeed someone who had weathered many storms. She stood there unmoving, the expression on her face unchanging. ¡°Also, take Grandma Lu to do a liver and heart examination. Make sure the doctors examine her thoroughly. This can¡¯t be dyed any longer.¡± Qiao Nian was frowning as she spoke. Frightened, Lu Qi gripped Matriarch Lu¡¯s hand tightly. She looked at Qiao Nian in fear and unease. ¡°Nian Nian, did you just say that my grandmother¡¯s health¡­¡± Qiao Nian herself was also hoping that she had misdiagnosed Matriarch Lu. Pursing her lips, she said, ¡°Madam Lu¡¯splexion doesn¡¯t look too good. I suspect that there might be something wrong with her liver. Moreover, elderly people tend to have heart problems as well. It¡¯s better to go for an examination.¡± Lu Qi nodded solemnly. ¡°However, Matriarch Lu might have a cerebral infarction right now. We have to nip this illness in the bud,¡± Qiao Nian said sternly. Lu Qi¡¯s slim body swayed on the spot. There was no trace of blood on her face. If someone else had said that about Grandma, she would definitely step forward to argue with that person. However, when she saw Qiao Nian¡¯s expression of certainty, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to doubt Qiao Nian¡¯s words. She pulled Matriarch Lu¡¯s arm, ready to bring her to the hospital. Matriarch Lu herself was much calmer. She was thinking about something else. She stopped Lu Qi and said, ¡°We¡¯ve already arrived at the temple. Pray for your sister first. It¡¯s fine if I go to the hospital after that. I¡¯m getting old. It¡¯s normal for me to have some health problems.¡± ¡°Grandma!¡± Lu Qi frowned, pouting. ¡°This won¡¯t do. Come with me quickly. We¡¯re going to the hospital now. If Sister finds out that you put off going to the hospital just to pray for her, she¡¯ll definitely be unhappy!¡± A trace of hesitation shed across Matriarch Lu¡¯s face. In the end, she couldn¡¯t dissuade Lu Qi and could only follow her to the hospital. Qiao Nian watched as the two of them left and heaved a sigh of relief. Only then did she rx. When Qiao Nian got home, she took a shower and changed her clothes. She had just stepped out of the bathroom when she heard a knock on the door. She walked over and opened the door to see Gu Zhou standing there. Chapter 178 - 178 Making a Wish ?178: Making a Wish 178: Making a Wish Editor: As Studios Gu Zhou was wearing a casual white shirt, and his entire body emitted anguid aura. Coupled with the indifferent expression on his face, he gave off a cool sense of abstinence. The first button of his shirt was opened, and his perfect chest muscles were just discernible. It made one want to tear off his shirt to take a better look. Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze moved away from the cor of Gu Zhou¡¯s shirt. Casually, she asked, ¡°Have you taken the medicinal bath I prescribed?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Zhou nodded, then walked into Qiao Nian¡¯s room, taking a seat on the sofa. Qiao Nian walked in as well. She sat down not far away from Gu Zhou, deliberately avoiding any physical contact. Gu Zhou could sense Qiao Nian¡¯s avoidance. His brow furrowed slightly, but it quickly smoothed out. ¡°You saved Matriarch Lu¡¯s life today. The Lu family is very grateful to you. They wanted to ask if you wanted anything?¡± When Qiao Nian heard Gu Zhou¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. ¡°How is Matriarch Lu now? What did the doctor say?¡± ¡°Lu Qi said that when she pulled Matriarch Lu to the hospital, Matriarch Lu¡¯s headache worsened. She was covered in cold sweat.¡± When Qiao Nian heard Gu Zhou¡¯s words, her brow furrowed deeper and deeper. ¡°Fortunately, you¡¯ve let Matriarch Lu know in time. The examination was carried out early, so the doctors could take the necessary precautions. Otherwise, the olddy might have died. The doctors have suggested that the olddy be admitted to the hospital.¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s tense heart finally settled back down. She heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Matriarch Lu was fine. Gu Zhou took Qiao Nian¡¯s reaction to heart. With some admiration in his eyes, he asked, ¡°What wish are you going to make?¡± ¡°Are you the magicmp from ddin?¡± Qiao Nian couldn¡¯t help butugh. Her eyes seemed to sparkle with starlight as she teased, ¡°Will any wish of mine be granted?¡± Gu Zhou looked into Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. At this moment, time seemed to have stopped. He felt that the person sitting in front of him wasn¡¯t Qiao Nian, but a very clever and adorable little fox. For some reason, his heart skipped a beat. Gu Zhou retracted his gaze indifferently, turning away from Qiao Nian. Pretending to be unconcerned, he said, ¡°Any realistic wish should be fine.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Qiao Nian lowered her head slightly, seemingly deep in thought. For a long time, Gu Zhou didn¡¯t hear any response from Qiao Nian. He turned his head to see Qiao Nian musing deeply, looking like a little fox with her brow furrowed. Gu Zhou raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you really nning to take up the offer?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou in confusion and continued, ¡°If it¡¯s free, why wouldn¡¯t I take it?¡± Gu Zhou: ¡°¡­¡± Qiao Nian said with a serious expression, ¡°I saved Matriarch Lu with my years of experience in medicine. She¡¯s granting me a gift. I would be a fool not to want it!¡± Gu Zhou: ¡°¡­¡± Gu Zhou had always thought that Qiao Nian was very generous. One had to know that she didn¡¯t even bat an eyelid when she had gifted those priceless medicinal herbs to someone else. Gu Zhou was now very curious about what gift Qiao Nian would want. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of something.¡± Qiao Nian turned to look at Gu Zhou, her eyes bright and her teeth gleaming white. Excitement was written all over her face. ¡°I want an eptance letter from the music academy. Can the Lu family do that?¡± Gu Zhou had thought that Qiao Nian would want some ordinary item or some medicinal herbs. He had never expected her to want an eptance letter into a school. After a long while, Gu Zhou asked, ¡°Is that all?¡± Qiao Nian could tell from Gu Zhou¡¯s tone that he was looking down on her request. She red at Gu Zhou and said unhappily, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®is that all¡¯? This wish is impressive. You have to know how difficult it is to get into An City¡¯s music academy. Only one in a thousand students were admittedst year!¡± The more Qiao Nian spoke, the more excited she became. ¡°The students who graduated from there are all big shots in the music industry. If I can get in, that would be my fortune!¡± Qiao Nian loved guqin and the bass guitar the most1 Those were her favorite instruments. If she could study in the music academy, she would be able to write her own songs and arrange her own music. Wouldn¡¯t that be amazing? Guqin is a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument. Chapter 179 - 179 Complimenting Me ?179: Complimenting Me? 179: Complimenting Me? Editor: As Studios At the thought of this, Qiao Nian felt that Gu Zhou was really too shallow. He clearly didn¡¯t know the importance of art and music in cultivating one¡¯s mind and soul. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t aware of the value of an eptance letter to the music academy. She gave Gu Zhou a disdainful look and said, ¡°You¡¯re an outsider of the music field. You don¡¯t know anything. You¡¯re not qualified to give your opinion!¡± Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian with aplicated expression. He stood up and left the room. When he returned, he handed a document to Qiao Nian. Puzzled, Qiao Nian took the document from him and opened it, still gazing at Gu Zhou in confusion. However, when she saw a graduation certificate from An City¡¯s Academy of Music, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Damn! This weak, delicate husband of hers was actually an academic tyrant! What Qiao Nian found most unbelievable was that Gu Zhou had specialized in the guqin as well. She was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t move. This was her favorite instrument. Qiao Nian looked up at Gu Zhou¡¯s hands. His fingers were long, slender and well-defined. Indeed, they were suitable for ying the guqin. ¡°Why don¡¯t I give you a rmendation?¡± As Gu Zhou spoke, he put the certificate away and looked at Qiao Nian with interest. Qiao Nian sat there. While she looked calm, tumultuous waves of emotion were rising and crashing in her heart. Outstanding graduates of the Academy of Music were all qualified to rmend someone to study at the academy. Gu Zhou happened to have this privilege. Silently, Qiao Nian shifted closer to Gu Zhou, staring unblinkingly at the certificate in Gu Zhou¡¯s hand. If she had a tail, it would definitely be wagging excitedly. Qiao Nian was now nearly leaning against Gu Zhou. Fortunately, she knew her limits. Her gaze fell on Gu Zhou¡¯s face and she smiled in a fawning manner. ¡°Yes please!¡± If she had Gu Zhou¡¯s rmendation, coupled with Lu Zhu¡¯s rmendation letter as the principal, the chances of her getting epted into the music academy would increase significantly. However, Qiao Nian was still rational. She tried hard to calm down and asked, ¡°There¡­ there aren¡¯t any conditions, are there?¡± Gu Zhou met Qiao Nian¡¯s starry eyes. His mouth was dry, and he found himself swallowing involuntarily. In a low voice, he raised his tone slightly. ¡°What can you give me?¡± Qiao Nian was slightly stunned. With that, Gu Zhou left. Qiao Nian gazed at Gu Zhou¡¯s retreating back. She hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zhou to be willing to help without asking for anything in return. Since there were no conditions attached, she was relieved. The next day. Qiao Nian drove to the Huangtian Hotel. As soon as she stopped the car, she took off her sunsses and took out her phone. She skillfully typed a string of code, then typed out a text and sent it. Su Xue suddenly received a message from Qiu Nan. ¡°Sister Xue, I miss you. I¡¯m in the suite on the top floor of the Huangtian Hotel. I¡¯ve already specially prepared a unique fitness training n just for you. Can youe now?¡± When Su Xue saw this message, her lips curved up involuntarily. Her body began to heat up. She yearned to fly to the hotel right now to do some wonderful aerobics with Qiu Nan. Su Xue quickly replied, then deleted the message. Qiao Nian, who had been sitting in the car, received a message from Su Xue not long after. ¡°Little Nan Nan, wait for me. I¡¯ll be there soon!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s lips curved up coldly. She turned to look at Gu Zhou, who was sitting in the front passenger seat. Smiling, she asked, ¡°Do you want to make a bet?¡± Gu Zhou looked away from the phone and his gaze fell on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. His eyes lit up. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you think Qiao Shan will hit Su Xue when hees to the hotel and finds out everything?¡± Qiao Nian said, looking extremely excited. Gu Zhou was slightly amused by the smile on Qiao Nian¡¯s face. He thought for a while and said, ¡°A man shouldn¡¯t hit a woman.¡± The smile on Qiao Nian¡¯s face deepened. Her red lips parted slightly. ¡°A friendly reminder. Not every man is a gentleman. Many men are beasts!¡± ¡°Mrs. Gu, are youplimenting me? Am I a gentleman?¡± Gu Zhou narrowed his phoenix-like eyes, his words tinged with humor! Qiao Nian: Man, you¡¯re missing the point! However, this didn¡¯t interfere with Qiao Nian¡¯s understanding of Gu Zhou. She nodded solemnly, a bright smile on her face. ¡°Of course. Mr. Gu is definitely a gentleman!¡± Chapter 180 - 180 Setup ?180: Setup 180: Setup Editor: As Studios Gazing at the bright smile on Qiao Nian¡¯s face, Gu Zhou was momentarily dazed. Suddenly, the car braked sharply. Only then did Gu Zhoue back to his senses. He frowned, turning to look at Chen Qing unhappily. ¡°What happened?¡± Chen Qing unbuckled his seatbelt and looked straight ahead, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Second Young Master. I almost bumped into someone just now!¡± Gu Zhou lowered his gaze and said nothing more. From time to time, Qiao Nian took out her phone to check the time. When she felt that it was about time, she gave Qiao Shan a call. When Qiao Shan saw that it was Qiao Nian calling, he was momentarily surprised. He couldn¡¯t believe that Qiao Nian would voluntarily contact him. He picked up the phone and said uncertainly, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Dad.¡± When Qiao Shan heard Qiao Nian call him ¡°Dad¡±, his lips curved up involuntarily. Previously, Qiao Nian had pretended to want to cut ties with her family. Yet, she was still respectfully addressing him as ¡°Dad¡± when calling him. Perhaps Qiao Nian had suffered a lot in the Gu family. Now, she had sought him out for help to back her up. Qiao Shan was extremely pleased with himself, but he put on a calm facade and asked coldly, ¡°What do you want?¡± When Qiao Nian heard Qiao Shan¡¯s voice, a trace of disdain shed in her eyes. She said, ¡°Previously, didn¡¯t you say that you wanted the Suranne Grass?¡± Qiao Shan raised his eyebrow. His guess was correct. In order to cement her position in the Gu family, Qiao Nian was willing to give him even the precious Suranne Grass. However, Qiao Shan decided to continue putting on an act. Pretending to be confused, he asked, ¡°You value the Suranne Grass so much. Are you willing to give it to me?¡± Qiao Nian smiled and said, ¡°How can you say that? You¡¯re my father. What¡¯s mine should be yours, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± Gu Zhou was speechless. Chen Qing was speechless. Qiao Nian smiled again and said gently, ¡°Dad, no matter what, I¡¯m still your biological daughter. I went too farst time. And now that Brother has returned¡­ I think we haven¡¯t even had a meal together as a family!¡± When Qiao Shan heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, he was even more certain that Qiao Nian had been suffering in the Gu family. He was extremely pleased with himself, but he still pretended to be calm. Qiao Shan coughed and said in a low voice, ¡°You¡¯re young, so I won¡¯t hold it against you. It¡¯s not toote for you to reflect upon your mistakes. Have you been suffering in the Gu family?¡± Gu Zhou frowned. A trace of anger shed across Qiao Nian¡¯s face. Her eyes turned cold, but her voice was as calm as ever. ¡°No.¡± ¡°If you had been so obedient from the beginning, your mother would have been as gentle with you as she was with your sister,¡± Qiao Shan said meaningfully. A trace of disdain shed in Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. The coldness in her eyes grew clearer and clearer. Her thin lips moved slightly. ¡°You¡¯re right. I was young and insensible in the past.¡± Qiao Shan sat down on the sofa. Hearing Qiao Nian admit her mistake, he felt even more satisfied. He continued, ¡°Not only the Suranne Grass, but also the other expensive medicinal herbs you¡¯ve grown¡­ You should keep those in our backyard, not in the Gu residence. By the way, teach your sister how to cultivate these nts. In the future, these will be a Qiao family skillset. It will bring glory to our family!¡± Qiao Nian felt her stomach churn. She suppressed her nausea. She was looking forward to seeing how Qiao Shan would reactter on. Qiao Nian took a deep breath and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already sent Mom the location. She¡¯ll go over first. Take Brother and Sister with you. We¡¯ll talk when we get to the hotel. I¡¯ll send you the room number as well.¡± With that, Qiao Nian hung up without waiting for Qiao Shan to reply. If she heard another word from Qiao Shan, she would probably throw up. Qiao Nian took out her phone and typed out another code. This code could make Su Xue¡¯s phone temporarily lose signal. Gu Zhou¡¯s gaze fell on the code Qiao Nian was typing. His eyes darkened as he memorized every character. Chapter 181 - 181 The Curtain Rises ?181: The Curtain Rises 181: The Curtain Rises Editor: As Studios At the Huangtian Hotel. After Chen Qing parked the car in the parking lot, he saw many luxury cars around him. Qiao Nian walked at the front of the group. Suddenly, a security guard stopped her and said politely, ¡°Miss, please show me your reservation number.¡± Gu Zhou strode over to Qiao Nian¡¯s side. When the security guard saw Gu Zhou, his expression froze. He said respectfully, ¡°Wee, CEO. May I know if you need anyone to receive you?¡± Radiating a cold aura, Gu Zhou said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m just passing by. Do not make my presence known.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The security guard hurriedly stood aside. Qiao Nian nced at the security guard and muttered, ¡°No wonder everyone says that the Gu family is the emperor of An City. You can¡¯t walk five feet without passing by one of the Gu family¡¯s businesses!¡± When Qiao Nian thought about how Gu Zhou had mocked her yesterday, suggesting that she thought he couldn¡¯t afford to stay at the Huangtian Hotel, she felt awkward. The Gu family was truly very wealthy. After entering the elevator, Qiao Nian pressed the button for the ninth floor. When Qiao Nian had booked a room for Qiu Nan, she had also booked a room for herself next door. That way, she would be able to know what was happening in the next room in advance. After entering the room, Qiao Nian walked to the French windows and pulled open the curtains. She satzily on a hanging basket chair, enjoying the morning sun. Gu Zhou, on the other hand, sat down on the sofa in the living room. He picked up a magazine and began reading it earnestly. After Chen Qing prepared drinks for Gu Zhou and Qiao Nian, he suddenly sensed that he was a huge third wheel. He was disturbing Second Young Master and Young Madam¡¯s leisure time. After some thought, he decided that it was better to stand outside, so he pushed the door open and left. After a while, the phone began to ring. Qiao Nian took out her phone and saw that it was Qiao Shan calling. Thinking of what was about to happen, her lips curved up slightly. In a good mood, she picked up the phone. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Qiao Nian, I¡¯ve already arrived at the hotel, but I can¡¯t seem to get through to your mother. Has she arrived?¡± Qiao Nian looked at the ocean in the far distance and replied obediently, ¡°I can¡¯t get through to her either. Did she set her phone to airne mode? I¡¯m already on the ninth floor. When I asked at the front desk, they told me that ady had already taken the room key. I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s Mom. I think she might have already arrived at the room.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Qiao Yu has an important meeting today, so he won¡¯t be able to attend our family meeting. However, I¡¯ve brought Xin Xin with me. Let¡¯s have a meal as a family of four!¡± The joy on Qiao Nian¡¯s face instantly vanished. She narrowed her eyes slightly. What a pity. She couldn¡¯t let Qiao Yu, this pervert, see his beloved mother¡¯s true colors. But it didn¡¯t matter. There was still time! Sooner orter, Qiao Yu would see Su Xue¡¯s ugly side. She looked forward to seeing Qiao Yu¡¯s expression then. It would definitely be interesting. Qiao Nian said sweetly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for you at the elevator. Let¡¯s go in together!¡± After Qiao Nian hung up, she stood up and walked out. Gu Zhou stood up and followed Qiao Nian. The two of them stood at the elevator door. A minuteter, the door slowly opened. Qiao Shan was wearing a well-cut suit and leather shoes. His hair wasbed back, and he looked very formal. Qiao Xin had also dressed up meticulously. In a pink gown, she looked extremely adorable. Along the way, she had attracted the attention of many passers-by. This was the first time Qiao Xin had been to such a high-end ce, so she wanted to dress up. It would be great if she could meet a lifelong benefactor here. ¡°Sister!¡± Qiao Xin greeted gently when she saw Qiao Nian. Her gaze fell on Gu Zhou¡¯s face. ¡°Brother-inw.¡± Qiao Nian gave a polite and distant smile. Seeing Qiao Xin¡¯s smug expression, she felt a wave of excitement for what was to happenter. She was looking forward to seeing Qiao Xin¡¯s expression then. Seeing Qiao Shan walk over, Qiao Nian handed the room card to him. Chapter 182 - 182 Caught in the Act ?182: Caught in the Act 182: Caught in the Act Editor: As Studios Qiao Shan enjoyed very much the air of ceremony Qiao Nian had created. He greeted Gu Zhou calmly and led everyone to the door. Qiao Shan stood tall and straight in front of the door, his vanity soaring. He ced the key card on the door lock. Click! The door opened. Indescribable noises came from inside the room. A woman¡¯s excited screams. A man¡¯s beast-like roars. The sounds of pping rose and fell, creating a discordant harmony. Even if none of them could see what was going on inside, they could all imagine how frenzied the two people in the room were being. Everyone flushed. Just as Qiao Shan was about to retreat, he heard the woman scream again. He stopped in his tracks. This voice clearly belonged to Su Xue. Qiao Shan¡¯s feet seemed to have been nailed to the ground. His face flushed bright red, and his temples throbbed viciously, veins bulging on his forehead. His hands were clenched into tight fists. His mind had gonepletely nk. Blushing, Qiao Xin took two steps out of the room. Seeing that Qiao Shan was still standing there in a daze, she whispered, ¡°Did we get the wrong room key? Let¡¯s go out first. Don¡¯t disturb them!¡± Only then did Qiao Shane back to his senses. He wanted to rush in and drag Su Xue out, but his rationality told him that he couldn¡¯t let Qiao Xin know about the despicable things Su Xue had done. After all, Su Xue was her mother. He began to chase Qiao Xin out of the room. How could Qiao Nian let go of such a good opportunity? Pretending to be confused, she said, ¡°Dad, the voice inside seems to be Mom?¡± Qiao Nian had painstakingly prepared so much. Of course, she had to let the show continue! Although Qiao Nian¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, it silenced the two people in the room. Qiao Shan red daggers at Qiao Nian. Qiao Xin frowned and said unhappily, ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡¯ve gone too far. Are you crazy? How can you nder Mom?¡± Qiao Nian pretended not to understand. She quickly stepped forward and pulled open the white curtains by the bed. ¡°Ah!¡± The woman on the bed screamed and burrowed under the nket in a frenzy. Qiu Nan took a while longer to react. When he saw a group of people in the room, his expression changed. He hurriedly pulled the nket over his head. There were clothes scattered on the floor around the bed, and everything was in a mess. There were even some unidentifiable liquids on the nkets. It was clear what Su Xue and Qiu Nan were doing. Qiao Nian took two steps back. Gu Zhou gave Chen Qing a look. Understanding immediately, Chen Qing walked over and lifted the nket off the bed. ¡°Ah!!¡± As Su Xue screamed, two naked bodies were exposed just like that. When Su Xue saw how irate Qiao Shan was, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She copsed onto the bed, her mind in a mess. Oh my god! It was over! Everything was over! She was sure she had done everything with utmost discretion. How did Qiao Shan still find out that she was having an affair? Su Xue hurriedly covered her face with her hair. As for Qiu Nan, he had already wet himself in fear. Qiao Xin looked at the scene on the bed in disbelief. She had never expected her mother to be such a person. How would she and her brother live their lives in the future? Qiao Xin¡¯s stomach churned. She quickly walked towards the bathroom and threw up. Gu Zhou lowered his gaze indifferently and turned to look out of the French window. He did not want those dirty things to taint his eyes. Qiao Nian put on an astonished expression. Her lips curved up slightly. ¡°You were so passionate!¡± Qiao Shan had no time to bother with Qiao Nian. He red daggers at Su Xue. Just now, when he only heard the voice, he had still managed to retain some rational thought. Now, however, all he could feel was rage. Qiao Shan rolled up his sleeve, raised his fist, and threw a punch at Su Xue¡¯s face. ¡°B*tch, I¡¯ve treated you well. How dare you fool around with someone else? You made me a cuckold, you worthless wretch!¡± Chapter 183 - 183 Watching the Dogfight ?183: Watching the Dogfight 183: Watching the Dogfight Editor: As Studios Su Xue screamed in pain, curling up into a ball. She wanted to hide, but there was nowhere for her to hide. She tried to crawl under the nket, but Chen Qing had already thrown it aside. ¡°Did I not give you enough to eat? Did I not give you enough to drink? I¡¯ll teach you what it means to cheat on me!¡± Qiao Shan was so angry that his face had turned green. He grabbed Su Xue¡¯s hair and forced her to look at him. Using all his strength, he pped Su Xue¡¯s face again and again. ¡°How dare you cheat on me? Do you want to die?!¡± Su Xue¡¯s head was spinning, and she was seeing stars. She was on the verge of fainting. As she dodged her husband¡¯s blows, she begged for mercy. ¡°Hubby, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry! I know I was in the wrong! Please stop hitting me. Ah, it hurts! There are outsiders around now. It¡¯s really humiliating to do this in public! Please, please don¡¯t hit me anymore¡­¡± ¡°Humiliation? How dare you mention humiliation! When you were doing such dirty things, why didn¡¯t you think it was humiliating? Now that you¡¯re being beaten up, you¡¯re humiliated. I¡¯ll beat you to death, you cheap wretch!¡± The more Qiao Shan thought about it, the angrier he became. He hit Su Xue with increasing force. Su Xue could no longer handle the pain. Her gaze fell on Qiu Nan, who was curled up not far away. A glint shed in her eyes. At this moment, it was every man for himself. She could only push Qiu Nan out! She no longer wanted to be beaten up. ¡°Hubby, I beg you. Please stop hitting. You really can¡¯t me me for this. It¡¯s all Qiu Nan¡¯s fault. It¡¯s all his fault. If he hadn¡¯t seduced me, I wouldn¡¯t have made this mistake!¡± Qiu Nan, who had been trembling in fear, looked at Su Xue in disbelief. ¡°Sister Xue, you¡­¡± Before Qiu Nan could finish his sentence, he received a furious punch from Qiao Shan. Two of his teeth were immediately knocked out. Coughing, Qiu Nan spat out a mouthful of blood. Before he could recover, Qiao Shan¡¯s fistnded on his face again. Qiu Nan could only curl up into a ball, not daring to resist. Su Xue¡¯s hair and face were disheveled. She slipped from the bed to the ground and hurriedly wrapped herself in the nket, continuing to try to clear her name. ¡°Hubby, the sun and moon will testify to my devotion to you. My love for you is like the surging river. If he hadn¡¯t gotten me drunk, how could I have done such a thing? You have to believe me. I was being threatened. If I didn¡¯t agree to do this with him, he would announce the scandal to the public!¡± Seeing that Qiao Shan¡¯s hatred for Qiu Nan had deepened, Su Xue heaved a sigh of relief. In any case, she just had to pretend to be the victim. ¡°Hubby, I¡¯m doing this for your sake. I¡¯m afraid that if anyone finds out about this, they¡¯ll think that you¡¯re an embarrassment. I¡¯m doing this for the sake of the Qiao family and our children!¡± Qiao Shan¡¯s rage intensified. He hit Qiu Nan harder and harder. ¡°You gigolo! Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you seduce my wife? If I don¡¯t kill you today, my name isn¡¯t Qiao Shan!¡± Initially, Qiu Nan had been enduring Qiao Shan¡¯s punches, thinking that Su Xue might receive fewer beatings. After all, Su Xue was his sugar mama. He still nned on taking money from her in the future. However, Qiu Nan had never expected Su Xue to cut ties with him directly. He said with utter disappointment, ¡°Sister Xue, you¡¯ve gone too far. Where is your conscience? Would you dare to swear on your life and the lives of your children that what you said was the truth? You told me that your husband could no longer perform in bed. You told me you couldn¡¯t feel the joy of being a woman. You insisted on being with me so that I could nourish you, and coaxed me into your bed with lies. How can you nder me now!¡± Qiao Shan stopped what he was doing. He looked at Su Xue with a livid expression, his eyes burning with rage. If looks could kill, this adulterous couple would have died a thousand times over! Su Xue was so frightened by Qiao Shan that she was trembling. She shook her head and scolded angrily, ¡°Pfft, how shameless! Don¡¯t nder me!¡± ¡°Then can you swear that you didn¡¯t say those words?¡± Qiu Nan said relentlessly. A trace of guilt shed across Su Xue¡¯s face. Just as she was about to say something, Qiao Shan pped her face. Qiao Nian watched the show indifferently, a cold smile on her lips. After an arduous period of time, Qiao Xin had finally finished throwing up. When she came out of the bathroom, she saw Qiao Shan beating Su Xue up. She was so shocked that she stood rooted to the ground. ¡°Dad, stop hitting her!¡± Qiao Xin threw herself at him in tears. Chapter 184 - 184 Clear My Name ?184: Clear My Name 184: Clear My Name Editor: As Studios Qiao Shan paused and turned to look at Qiao Xin. Qiao Xin was crying so hard that her whole body shook. Qiao Shan¡¯s heart ached as if it had been pricked by a thousand needles. He looked at Su Xue in rage, his hand trembling as he pointed at her. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done!¡± Seeing Qiao Xin cry so hard, Su Xue¡¯s heart ached for her. She, too, cried until she was out of breath. The more Qiao Shan thought about it, the angrier he became. He shouted angrily, ¡°You¡¯ve done such a humiliating thing. Our children are already grown. Now that the matter has been exposed, this child is still pleading for you. Do you mean to force Qiao Xin and Qiao Yu to keep their heads lowered in public for the rest of their lives?¡± Su Xue sobbed. A trace of determination shed across her face as she wiped her tears away. She couldn¡¯t open her swollen, bruised eyes. Turning to nce at Qiu Nan, who was not far away, she said awkwardly, ¡°Hubby, I know my mistake now. Please forgive me. I won¡¯t do anything like this again. This is all Qiu Nan¡¯s fault. It has nothing to do with me. Now, we have to think about how to keep this matter a secret. If word of this gets out, the Qiao family will be finished!¡± Su Xue¡¯s mind raced. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. She pointed at Qiu Nan and said loudly, ¡°Hubby, I¡¯ve thought of something. Let¡¯s hurry up and send him to prison. That way, no one will know about this!¡± Qiu Nan looked at Su Xue in shock and said angrily, ¡°Su Xue?!¡± Qiao Shan stood there with a dark expression. He did not speak. In his heart, he was wondering if this course of action was feasible. Seeing Qiao Shan¡¯s hesitation, Qiao Xin hurriedly said, ¡°This man is a scourge on society. If it weren¡¯t for him, Mom wouldn¡¯t have be like this. Let¡¯s send him to prison, quickly. As long as he stays in prison, our Qiao family will be at peace!¡± When Qiao Nian heard Qiao Xin¡¯s words, she sneered. ¡°Heh!¡± This family was truly shameless to the extreme. Only when Su Xue heard Qiao Nian¡¯s voice did she notice her presence. Her heart skipped a beat, and she grew so nervous that her heart jumped to her throat. She had been with Qiu Nan for more than a year, but she had never let any hint of their rtionship slip. Yet, she had actually been caught this time. Moreover, she remembered being very confused when she had arrived. How had Qiu Nan afforded such an expensive room? Su Xue recalled how Qiu Nan had hugged her when she arrived, pressing her against the door and kissing her wildly. Before long, Qiu Nan carried her to the bed and the two of them began to make love. Therefore, she had been wholly immersed in the romantic surprise and had not noticed the danger at all. Now that she thought about it, it seemed like someone had deliberately nned all of this. They had deliberately gotten Qiao Shan toe and catch them in the act. Qiao Nian! It had to be Qiao Nian! Su Xue finally came back to her senses. She jumped up from the ground and pointed at Qiao Nian¡¯s face, scolding angrily, ¡°You did this!¡± When Qiao Nian heard Su Xue¡¯s words, her lips curved into a faint smile. She leaned against the wine cab and saidzily, ¡°Looks like you¡¯re not that stupid after all.¡± Su Xue¡¯s eyes widened. She hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to admit it so bluntly. Her face flushed red with anger as she scolded, ¡°B*tch, I¡¯ve raised you for so many years for nothing. How dare you treat me like this? Do you still have a conscience? I¡¯m your¡­ Ah!!¡± Qiao Nian walked up to Su Xue. Just as Su Xue was about to say thest few words, Qiao Nian gave Su Xue a vicious p. That p was enough to cut off whatever Su Xue was about to say. The words remained lodged in her throat. ¡°You¡¯re not worthy!¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s hand ached terribly. This p had taken all her strength. Su Xue¡¯s face was swollen. She copsed onto the bed, unable to get up for a long time. Qiu Nan, who had been curled up at the side, was stunned. He had not expected the daughter to hit her mother in public. This was the first time he had seen such a thing. It seemed that Qiao Nian was not one to be trifled with. Chapter 185 - 185 Are You My Mother ?185: Are You My Mother? 185: Are You My Mother? Editor: As Studios Gu Zhou, who had been looking at the scenery outside the window, walked over. He took Qiao Nian¡¯s hand, which had turned red from hitting Su Xue, and caressed it gently a few times before handing a dagger to Qiao Nian. His hand was slightly hot, and the warmth traveled from Qiao Nian¡¯s hand to every part of her body. Qiao Nian felt a warmth in her chest. She turned to look at Gu Zhou then slowly downwards, her gaze finallynding on the dagger in her hand. The dagger was very exquisite. There was a circling golden dragon engraved on the handle, and a phoenix that had been reborn in mes was engraved on the de. ¡°It¡¯ll hurt if you use your bare hands.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s deep voice came from above Qiao Nian¡¯s head. His tone was disdainful, as if he didn¡¯t take Qiao Nian¡¯s p on Su Xue seriously at all. At the same time, he seemed to be standing on Qiao Nian¡¯s side, fully approving of her hitting Su Xue. When Su Xue heard Gu Zhou¡¯s words, her face turned red with anger. She red fiercely at Qiao Nian and stood up in a rage. She wanted to p Qiao Nian, but when her gaze fell on the dagger in Qiao Nian¡¯s hand, she cowered. Qiao Nian gripped the dagger in her hand tightly, her heart beating involuntarily faster. She looked into Gu Zhou¡¯s eyes, falling into those bottomless eyes. Su Xue was so frightened that her expression turned even uglier. She stepped back involuntarily and said with a trembling voice, ¡°What¡­ What do you want to do? I¡¯m warning you. I¡¯m your mother. This is a sin!¡± Qiao Nian came back to her senses and lowered her gaze to hide her flusteredness. When she looked at Su Xue again, her eyes were filled with disdain. ¡°Ha. Are you my mother?¡± Su Xue looked at Qiao Nian in confusion. ¡°Whether or not you¡¯re really my mother¡­ I¡¯m sure you know better than me.¡± Qiao Nian toyed with the dagger in her hand, her eyes narrowed. Su Xue, who was sitting at the side, gasped. She looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief. Did Qiao Nian know everything? How. How was this possible? Su Xue began to tremble against her will. Qiao Shan, who had been standing at the side, was also stunned when he heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t expect Qiao Nian to know. Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Nian in confusion. Qiao Nian said coldly, ¡°No mother of mine will bring such shame to the family name like you!¡± Su Xue trembled slightly. She couldn¡¯t guess what Qiao Nian was thinking. She stood there unmoving. Qiao Nian nced at Qiu Nan, who was curled up in a corner. She questioned, ¡°When the matter was exposed, you were willing to send your little lover to prison just to protect yourself. Is it really as you said? Did he seduce you?¡± Qiao Shan stared at Su Xue like a hawk. Su Xue said anxiously, ¡°Hubby, I really didn¡¯t want to betray you. It really was he who seduced me!¡± Qiao Nian sneered and shook her head slightly. Seeing Qiao Nian like this, Su Xue said angrily, ¡°Qiao Nian, what kind of expression is that? I¡¯m your mother. Are you going to make a scene even when I¡¯ve told the truth?¡± ¡°You really won¡¯t give up. Must you hit a dead end before you turn back?¡± As Qiao Nian spoke, she took out her phone and yed a recording. Su Xue¡¯s girlish, twittering voice. ¡°Qiu Nan, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Sister Xue, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Qiu Nan¡¯s voice sounded normal. ¡°I¡¯m so lonely. Qiao Shan works outside all day long, and he won¡¯t spend time with me. I¡¯m all alone. This house is so big, but it¡¯s so cold!¡± Qiu Nan said patiently, ¡°Sister Xue, Mr. Qiao is working so hard for the sake of your family. If you think it¡¯s boring to be alone, you can go shopping, watch movies, or even travel. You can alsoe to the gym to work out!¡± ¡°Sigh, there¡¯s no point in shopping. As for traveling, I¡¯ve been to all the famous ces in the world.¡± Su Xue said coyly, ¡°None of them are interesting.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t youe to the gym to work out? Exercise can help you forget all your worries. Moreover, women who work out look much younger than their peers.¡± Qiu Nan began to promote his gym services. Su Xue said flirtatiously, ¡°But¡­ but I don¡¯t dare¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Oh, when I see you, I feel as if I¡¯ve returned to when I was young. I just want to¡­ you know¡­ I just can¡¯t control myself¡­¡± Chapter 186 - 186 Breaking the Law ?186: Breaking the Law 186: Breaking the Law Editor: As Studios ¡°Ahem.¡± Qiu Nan coughed awkwardly. Su Xue said girlishly, ¡°It¡¯s true. I felt my heart flutter the moment I saw you. Can youe shopping with me?¡± There was silence on Qiu Nan¡¯s end. Su Xue continued to seduce him. ¡°I really feel so lonely. I¡¯ll only feel happy when you¡¯re by my side. Come over and apany me, okay?¡± Qiu Nan himself was also a lustful person. It would be a pity to decline a woman who had delivered herself to his doorstep. ¡°Sister Xue, in that case, send me the location!¡± ¡°Okay, I love you!¡± ¡­ The recording ended abruptly. Qiao Nian didn¡¯t need to say anything else. Everyone knew what happened next. Su Xue¡¯s face had turned pale with fear. She lowered her head, not daring to look at Qiao Shan¡¯s face. She had never expected Qiao Nian to have a recording of their conversation from a year ago. Now, it was clear that Qiao Nian had long wanted to deal with her. At the thought of this, Su Xue felt a chill run down her spine. Qiao Nian was truly a terrifying person. Qiao Xin, who was standing at the side, waspletely stunned. She looked at her mother in shock. Her mother was usually kind and gentle, and had always devoted herself diligently to the family. How could she do such a thing behind their backs? If her mother had found a man who was more outstanding than her father, Qiao Xin felt that she could perhaps understand. After all, it was natural for every woman to want to find a better man. But what about this Qiu Nan? Qiu Nan was just a fitness instructor who relied on his figure and face to make a living. Such a man was not even worthy of being her father¡¯s shoeshiner. How could her mother lower herself to be with such a man? Qiao Xin¡¯s face turned red with anger. She questioned, ¡°Mom, are you blind? How can you be with such a man? He¡¯s not even fit to be Dad¡¯s shoeshiner!¡± Su Xue¡¯s body swayed. At this moment, she had lost all her dignity. She could no longer face her daughter. Qiao Nian stood at the side, adding fuel to the fire. ¡°It takes two to tango. Su Xue, you were the one who first started. Even if Qiu Nan has to go to jail, you should be the one sitting in there with him. You¡¯re the main culprit, and he¡¯s the essory. However, seeing how much you like him, I can get someone to smooth things over and let the two of you stay in the same cell. That will allow the two of you to continue interacting and improving your rtionship.¡± Continue interacting? Were they to continue having sexual interactions? Qiao Shan clenched his fists tightly. In an instant, he lost all rationality. He stepped forward and grabbed Su Xue¡¯s hair. Gritting his teeth, he pped Su Xue a few more times. Qiao Shan only stopped when Su Xue¡¯s nose began to bleed. Su Xue¡¯s face was as swollen as a pig¡¯s head. She raised a hand to wipe the blood from her nose, ring at Qiao Nian with hatred in her eyes. She cursed angrily, ¡°Qiao Nian, you set me up. You¡¯ll die a horrible death, never to be reincarnated!¡± When Gu Zhou heard thest sentence, he frowned. ¡°Chen Qing.¡± Chen Qing had long disliked Su Xue. When he heard Gu Zhou calling him, he swiftly rolled up his sleeves and walked towards Su Xue. Now, it was finally his turn to show off his skills! With just one p, Chen Qing had broken the skin on Su Xue¡¯s face, causing her to stumble and fall onto the bed. ¡°Qiao Nian is my legal wife. Scolding her is equivalent to insulting me. I¡¯ll make sure you remember this p to the face. You¡¯re not worthy.¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it was soul-stirring. With that, he turned to look at Chen Qing. ¡°Where are the police now?¡± Upon hearing this, Su Xue and Qiu Nan were both shocked. Their bodies trembled. Qiao Shan and Qiao Xin were also stunned. Chen Qing took in their reactions and said calmly, ¡°They should be here soon!¡± Su Xue¡¯s lips trembled in fear. Puzzled, she asked, ¡°What¡­ What do you mean?¡± Qiao Nian answered Su Xue¡¯s question in a kindly manner. ¡°You¡¯ve alreadymitted the crime of adultery under the matrimonialw. ording to thew, you should be detained for a month.¡± Su Xue felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her heart stuttered, and she took a moment to react. Detention. If she was detained, she would forever bebeled as an adulteress. She would be looked down upon by everyone in high society. Chapter 187 - 187 Paternity Test ?187: Paternity Test 187: Paternity Test Editor: As Studios Not only that, Qiao Yu and Qiao Xin would also be criticized relentlessly. They would never be able to hold their heads high again. At the thought of this, Su Xue broke down in tears. She cursed, ¡°Qiao Nian, you¡­¡± Before Su Xue could finish speaking, she sensed the coldness around her. Her gaze inadvertently fell on Gu Zhou¡¯s face. When she met Gu Zhou¡¯s icy gaze, she immediately swallowed her words. Su Xue was so angry that she was panting heavily. With a cold expression, she questioned, ¡°Qiao Nian, do you have no sense? If you call the police, you¡¯ll only bring shame to the Qiao family!¡± Qiao Shan was so angry that he could barely feel anything. If murder wasn¡¯t illegal, he would have shot that b*tch, Su Xue, dead. Qiao Nian looked at Su Xue in confusion. She askednguidly, ¡°Before you did this, why didn¡¯t you think that you would bring shame to the Qiao family?¡± Qiao Nian sighed slightly and looked at Qiao Xin with a pained expression. She said softly, ¡°Brother has already begun to take over the Qiao family¡¯s business. I don¡¯t think anyone will dare to say anything in front of him, nor gossip behind his back. I¡¯ve already married into the Gu family, so I don¡¯t think anyone will dare to spout nonsense about me either. However, I pity Qiao Xin. She¡¯s still a student. If her schoolmates in An University find out about this, how will Qiao Xin deal with those gossip mongers in school? Even if she manages to graduate, people will still talk behind her back when she goes out to look for a job. People will say that she has a mother who doesn¡¯t know her ce and who cheats on her husband.¡± Qiao Nian paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°In the future, when Qiao Xin gets married, the groom-to-be and his family are sure to be hesitant. They might be worried that Qiao Xin would do something like her mother, something that will bring shame to the family!¡± Qiao Xin couldn¡¯t help it. With a shriek, she burst into tears. Su Xue¡¯s face was bright red with anger. She questioned furiously, ¡°Qiao Nian, do you have a conscience? How dare you call the police? Qiao Xin is your biological sister, and I¡¯m your mother. How can you be so heartless as to ruin your sister¡¯s life, and mine?¡± Qiao Nian red at Su Xue coldly, a trace of anger shing in her eyes. She gripped the dagger in her hand tightly. ¡°Shut up!¡± Su Xue was startled by the cold aura Qiao Nian was exuding. Qiao Nian narrowed her eyes and spoke icily, ¡°I¡¯ll cut off your tongue if you dare to call yourself my mother one more time!¡± All Su Xue could think about right now was finding a scapegoat, so the me on her would lessen. Hence, she tried to ce all the me on Qiao Nian. She said fearlessly, ¡°What did I say wrong?¡± Qiao Nian snorted. Su Xue was truly a stubborn mule of a person. She took out a folder she had stuffed into her bag and flung the results of the paternity test at Su Xue¡¯s face. Fuming with rage, Su Xue opened the folder. When she saw the contents, her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°How¡­ How could you do a paternity test?¡± A trace of shock shed across Qiao Shan¡¯s face. Looking down at Su Xue with condescension, Qiao Nian enunciated each word clearly as she spoke. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go to jail, sure. In that case, tell me who my biological parents are.¡± As soon as Qiao Nian said this, everyone in the Qiao family was stunned. Walking up to Su Xue, Qiao Shan forcefully took the paternity test from her. When he saw the results, his expression changed. He turned to look at Qiao Nian and asked in confusion, ¡°How did you suspect that you¡¯re not our biological daughter?¡± Qiao Nian found Qiao Shan¡¯s words especially amusing. She asked sarcastically, ¡°You¡¯ve made it so obvious. How can anyone not be suspicious?¡± Qiao Shan¡¯s expression darkened as he recalled what had happened in the past. Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Nian in disbelief. She really hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Nian to be so clever. In fact, Qiao Xin had also thought of chasing Qiao Nian out of the house in the past, just so she could look forward to seeing Qiao Nian beg for mercy on her knees. However, Qiao Xin had never expected Qiao Nian to discover the secret of her birth. ¡°Sister¡­¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Qiao Nian interrupted Qiao Xin coldly, her expression filled with disgust. ¡°I¡¯m not your sister. I¡¯m not rted to you by blood at all. I¡¯m not even remotely rted to the Qiao family. Moreover, no mother of mine is such a shameless, disgusting person.¡± Chapter 188 - 188 The Truth ?188: The Truth? 188: The Truth? Editor: As Studios Su Xue¡¯s face alternated between shades of green and white. She could hardly stand the humiliation. Qiao Nian had plenty of time today. She pulled over a chair and sat down elegantly in front of Su Xue. She raised her eyebrows slightly. ¡°Now, can you tell me the truth? Who are my biological parents? Also, why did you bring me into the Qiao family? I advise you to tell me everything in detail.¡± Qiao Shan couldn¡¯t help but frown. It was a long story, and he didn¡¯t know where to begin. Su Xue saw that Qiao Shan was deep in thought. Her eyes darted to the side, and she hurriedly spoke. ¡°I remember this matter very clearly!¡± When Qiao Shan heard Su Xue¡¯s words, he remained expressionless. In reality, Su Xue was in charge of most of the matters in the Qiao family anyway. Qiao Shan temporarily put aside the fact that Su Xue was having an affair and listened to her continue. Su Xue heaved a small sigh of relief. She red at Qiao Nian viciously, as if she was determined to fight to the death. ¡°In the past, I was worried that you would be upset, so I kept it from you. I didn¡¯t tell you the truth. Now that you¡¯ve found out, there¡¯s no need for me to hide it from you anymore. You¡¯re a bastard child I picked up from the hospital! A wild child abandoned by your parents!¡± Qiao Nian sat there in silence, looking at Su Xue expressionlessly. A smug smile appeared on Su Xue¡¯s face. She asked, ¡°Did you think that you were the precious daughter of some rich family?¡± ¡°Qiao Nian, stop dreaming.¡± Su Xue stood up, wiping her tears and the blood from her nose. She said coldly, ¡°Your mother was just some woman from the countryside. She fell in love with a rich man, but that rich man already had a wife. Your mother was looked down upon by her family because she had gotten pregnant before marriage. She wanted to abort you, but if she did, she might never be able to get pregnant again for the rest of her life. That¡¯s why she secretly gave birth in the hospital without telling her family. She was hoping to give birth to a son. Since a son would be treasured more than a daughter, she was nning to take the chance to marry the rich man, because his wife had only given birth to one daughter. ¡°Yet when she gave birth to a daughter, that rich man gave her two thousand dors and left. Your mother had never expected that to happen. The rich man told her that he had only wanted to use your mother¡¯s womb to have a son.¡± Su Xue looked at Qiao Nian with a challenge in her eyes. ¡°I was your mother¡¯s doctor back then. After she gave birth to you, she threw you into the trash. I took pity on you and brought you home.¡± At this point, Su Xue snorted. ¡°In that case, I¡¯m the one who saved your life!¡± Qiao Nian frowned a little, staring unblinkingly at Su Xue. The coldness in her eyes grew more obvious. ¡°Is that so?¡± Su Xueughed and retorted, ¡°What do you think the truth is? Back then, sons were so valuable. Who would break up their family just for a daughter?¡± Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes narrowed. That wasn¡¯t untrue. More than twenty years ago, every family valued boys over girls. In order to have a son to inherit the business, many rich people would spend a lot of money to find someone who could give birth to a son for them. If the child was a son, the rich man would take the child home. If it was a daughter, she would be left on the streets. Seeing that Qiao Nian was seriously considering the credibility of her words, Su Xue continued, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, you would have died long ago. I saved you. I¡¯m your life savior, your lifelong benefactor. Now, you¡¯re actually helping outsiders plot against me. You¡¯re really an ingrate!¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Qiao Nian gave a coldugh. Su Xue felt a chill run down her spine from Qiao Nian¡¯s gaze. Frowning, she questioned, ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Qiao Nian narrowed her eyes and looked at Su Xue coldly. ¡°In that case, should I thank you?¡± Su Xue couldn¡¯t tell if Qiao Nian believed her. She said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re the one who owes me a debt. It¡¯smon knowledge that raising a child is a far more arduous task than giving birth, and far more deserving of gratitude. For so many years, I¡¯ve tirelessly raised you. If it weren¡¯t for me, you would have died in the hospital long ago!¡± Chapter 189 - 189 The Two-Faced Persons Time to Shine ?189: The Two-Faced Person¡¯s Time to Shine 189: The Two-Faced Person¡¯s Time to Shine Editor: As Studios ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you might as well let me die in the hospital,¡± Qiao Nian said, enunciating each word. Su Xue¡¯s expression changed. She had an ominous feeling. Qiao Nian asked again, ¡°I¡¯ll ask you onest time. Who are my biological parents?¡± Su Xue was so angry that she was about to vomit blood. She had never expected Qiao Nian to not believe her. With her eyes as wide as dinner tes, she roared, ¡°Qiao Nian, are you crazy? What good will it do me to lie to you at a time like this? Do you think I¡¯m waiting to be struck by lightning?¡± The more Su Xue thought about it, the angrier she became. ¡°Back then, I gave birth to a dead baby. I was worried that Mother-inw wouldn¡¯t be able to take the blow, so I brought you back to raise you!¡± Seeing that Qiao Nian was silent, Su Xue suddenly seemed to realize something. She smiled. ¡°I see now. I understand why you¡¯re not believing me. Are you still dreaming that you¡¯re the daughter of a rich family?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re really the daughter of a rich family, how could I have possibly taken you away from your parents? If they really care about you, how could they not havee looking for you after so many years? Think carefully! Use that brain of yours!¡± After Su Xue finished speaking, she suddenly felt happier. Even if her reputation was ruined, she had to make Qiao Nian suffer. Qiao Nian kept staring into Su Xue¡¯s eyes. She hoped to find evidence of a lie in Su Xue¡¯s eyes, but she didn¡¯t find any traces of Su Xue not telling the truth. This meant that Su Xue was telling the truth. Su Xue¡¯s hair stood on end under Qiao Nian¡¯s re. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She didn¡¯t intend to let Qiao Nian have an easy time either. ¡°Qiao Nian, there¡¯s no need for you to look at me like that. I¡¯m telling the truth today. When I took you away, your mother said that she never wanted to see you again. She hoped that I would never bring you to visit her again. She still wanted to remarry and live a peaceful life. She didn¡¯t want this mistake of hers to appear in front of her and disrupt her life!¡± Qiao Nian looked at Su Xue quietly for a long time, her heart filled withplicated emotions. For the sake of her reputation, Su Xue would definitely not lie again. Was her father really just a heartless man who wanted a son? Her mother was an hical mistress who ruined other people¡¯s families. Then, was she a universally hated illegitimate daughter? Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes turned cold. She felt that she had to investigate this herself. Qiao Xin, who was standing at the side, couldn¡¯t help but smile when she saw Qiao Nian¡¯s expression grow worse and worse. Qiao Nian had always prided herself on being morally superior. Now, Qiao Nian was just the daughter of a vige woman and a rich man. Moreover, she was an illegitimate daughter, despised by the world. She wanted to see what else Qiao Nian had to be proud of. Qiao Nian was just a bastard child that no one wanted. One needed skill and good karma to reincarnate. Qiao Nian had been inferior to her since she was born. At the thought of this, Qiao Xin felt much better. She was the precious daughter of the Qiao family, and she had an outstanding older brother. Qiao Nian would never be able topare to her. She had won! At the thought of this, Qiao Xin felt extremely happy, but she still put on a worried facade. ¡°Sister, are¡­ are you alright?¡± Qiao Nian sat there in silence, seemingly lost in thought. Out of the corner of her eye, Qiao Xin nced at Gu Zhou. With the halo of an angel around her head, she said in a considerate and understanding manner, ¡°Sister, in that era, it wasn¡¯t easy for a woman if she got pregnant before marriage. It must have been really difficult for her to have a child and raise it. People would gossip about her. You have to understand your mother¡¯s perspective. Don¡¯t hate her.¡± Qiao Nian still ignored Qiao Xin. Her mind was filled with Su Xue¡¯s words. After receiving so much information today, she needed to take some time to digest it. More importantly, she had to dig deeper into the matter and find key clues before she could get someone to investigate her background. Seeing that Qiao Nian remained silent, Qiao Xinforted her softly. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t keep quiet. Don¡¯t take things too hard. Don¡¯t worry, Brother and I will definitely help you!¡± Chapter 190 - 190 Calling the Police ?190: Calling the Police 190: Calling the Police Editor: As Studios Seeing that Qiao Nian didn¡¯t speak, Qiao Xin continued to persuade her. ¡°If your biological mother finds out that you¡¯re upset because she abandoned you, she¡¯ll definitely me herself.¡± Impatience shed in Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes. She looked up at Qiao Xin. ¡°Are you done speaking?¡± Qiao Xin felt a chill run down her spine under Qiao Nian¡¯s cold gaze. She couldn¡¯t help but shiver, stumbling backwards. Qiao Nian narrowed her eyes, her voice as cold as ice. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll believe everything Su Xue says?¡± Qiao Xin¡¯s gaze faltered. So Qiao Nian didn¡¯t want to admit to herself that she had a contemptible background. Pursing her lips, she asked, ¡°Sister, if Mom is lying, why haven¡¯t your rtivese looking for you?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Qiao Xin expressionlessly. Qiao Xin¡¯s words hit the nail on the head. It had been more than twenty years. Why hadn¡¯t her biological parentse looking for her? Back when she was sent to live in the mountains, she didn¡¯t have enough to eat. As a result, she constantly faced the risk of starving to death. If an elderly man hadn¡¯t saved her, she might have died alone out there, with no family to her name. What puzzled Qiao Nian the most was that her biological parents had nevere to look for her. If a child who was loved by their family had gotten lost, their rtives would definitely try their best to find them. They wouldn¡¯t be able to bear to let their child live alone on the streets. Qiao Nian narrowed her eyes. If Su Xue and the others hadn¡¯t gone too far in their treatment of her, she might not have known until her death that she wasn¡¯t Qiao Shan and Su Xue¡¯s biological daughter. Perhaps it was really as Su Xue had said. To her biological parents, she was just a burden¡ªa burden that they wanted to throw away. Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Nian¡¯s back and frowned slightly, his thin lips pursed. He remained silent. Chen Qing noticed the change in Gu Zhou¡¯s expression, but he couldn¡¯t guess what Gu Zhou was thinking. At this moment, the ringing of the phone interrupted everyone¡¯s thoughts. Qiu Nan, who had been in a daze, jumped in fear when he heard the phone ring. He began to tremble. Su Xue looked at Qiao Nian in panic. Qiao Nian casually took out her phone from her bag. The caller ID was 1101. Su Xue turned pale with fear. If she was really thrown into prison, Qiao Shan would probably have gotten together with someone else by the time she was released. As for the two children, they would probably find her humiliating as well. They might never acknowledge her as their mother again. Cold sweat had broken out on Su Xue¡¯s forehead. She looked at Qiao Nian anxiously and said with impatience, ¡°Qiao Nian, you just said that as long as I give you the details of your birth, you won¡¯t call the police!¡± Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Nian anxiously. She was really worried that the family¡¯s scandal would spread to the public. If others knew that her mother had done such a thing, she would probably be too embarrassed to face anyone. She hurriedly said, ¡°Sister, Mom saved you when you were just a baby. And Mom and Dad treat you like their own daughter. Without knowing the results of this paternity test, I wouldn¡¯t even have guessed that you¡¯re not rted to us by blood. I think it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t let the police know, or we¡¯ll all be humiliated.¡± Qiao Shan stood at the side with a cold expression. Deep down, he still hoped that Su Xue would go to jail. Su Xue had done something so dirty and despicable. She should pay the price. However, when Qiao Shan heard Qiao Xin¡¯s words, a trace of pity rose in his heart. If news of what Su Xue had done got out, Qiao Yu and Qiao Xin would be the ones to suffer the most. At the thought of this, Qiao Shan could only suppress the dissatisfaction in his heart. ¡°Qiao Nian, on ount that your mother once saved you, don¡¯t let the police handle this matter. We¡¯ll handle it privately.¡± Qiao Nian looked at her phone and lowered her gaze slightly, hiding the emotions in her eyes. When she looked up again, there was only coldness in her gaze. She nced at the people in front of her and said mockingly, ¡°You sure make it sound nice. Back then, you saved me, but you didn¡¯t take any responsibility for me. You even left me alone in the mountains. If it weren¡¯t for Grandpa, I would have died long ago. So what¡¯s the difference between you and my biological parents who abandoned me? I think you¡¯re even more disgusting. You¡¯ve never done me any favors, but you want to take everything you want from me!¡± 110 is the emergency number for the police in China. Chapter 191 - 191 Qiao Yu Has Arrived ?191: Qiao Yu Has Arrived 191: Qiao Yu Has Arrived Editor: As Studios When Su Xue heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, she grew more and more anxious. In a panic, she roared, ¡°How can you say that? That¡¯s not what you said just now!¡± Qiao Nian looked at Su Xue coldly. ¡°I made myself very clear just now. If you had told me who my biological parents were, I wouldn¡¯t have called the police, but did you? No! Instead, you spouted a pile of useless nonsense!¡± With that, Qiao Nian picked up the call and ced the phone to her ear. She said politely, ¡°Hello, Officer. Yes, they¡¯re all here. Room 2009!¡± With that, Qiao Nian hung up calmly. All the strength in Su Xue¡¯s body seemed to have been drained. She copsed onto the bed, her face ashen. At this moment, the door was pushed open from the outside. When they heard the door open, everyone thought that the police had arrived. Su Xue shivered in fear, burrowing under the nket. ¡°Dad.¡± A cold voice rang from the door. Everyone turned to look. It was Qiao Yu! Qiao Yu was wearing a ck suit and a turquoise tie, making him look a little younger than usual. He strode in, exuding a cold aura. Qiao Nian¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but she had a bad feeling about this. Gu Zhou looked at Qiao Yu expressionlessly, his thin lips pursed into a pale line. Previously, during the speech, Qiao Nian had looked at Qiao Yu with the same expression. In a sh, Gu Zhou suddenly grasped the key point. Did Qiao Yu already know that he wasn¡¯t rted to Qiao Nian by blood? Su Xue poked her head out of the nket. Her tears began to fall uncontrobly. She had never expected her son to arrive as well, and her sense of humiliation only intensified. She spoke shakily, ¡°Qiao¡­¡± Before Su Xue could finish her sentence, she met Qiao Yu¡¯s cold and furious gaze. In an instant, she was so terrified that she no longer dared to speak. Su Xue lowered her gaze, her tears falling silently. When Qiao Xin saw that Qiao Yu had arrived, she seemed to have found her pir of support. She ran over, sobbing pitifully. Her voice was choked as she spoke. ¡°Brother¡­¡± When Qiao Yu saw Qiao Xin, his gaze softened. He gently patted Qiao Xin¡¯s head,forting her. ¡°Xin Xin, don¡¯t cry. Be good. Don¡¯t worry, I can handle this.¡± When Qiao Xin heard Qiao Yu¡¯s words, her uneasy heart finally calmed down. She stood obediently next to Qiao Yu. Qiao Yu took a good look at Qiao Nian, sizing her up with a brazen gaze. His voice was low and hoarse, tinged with anger. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve really grown up. You¡¯re capable now.¡± Qiao Nian met Qiao Yu¡¯s gaze fearlessly, her expression calm. ¡°The police will be here in a few minutes. How are you nning to save her?¡± ¡°Why should I save her?¡± Qiao Yu looked down condescendingly at Qiao Nian, his voice as cold as ice. When Qiao Nian heard Qiao Yu¡¯s words, she was slightly stunned. She had thought that Qiao Yu had rushed over anxiously to save Su Xue. However, she had guessed wrong. Then why had Qiao Yue? When Su Xue heard Qiao Yu¡¯s words, she had a bad feeling. She said nkly, ¡°Qiao Yu, you¡­¡± Qiao Yu didn¡¯t even bother granting Su Xue a nce. His voice was tinged with impatience. ¡°Shut up!¡± Su Xue¡¯s thin body trembled slightly. She looked at Qiao Yu in despair. That made sense. She had brought shame and dishonor to the family. Her son was right to me her. Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Yu uneasily. The police were about to arrive. Did her brother really want her mother to go to jail? Qiao Shan, who was standing at the side, looked at Qiao Yu with satisfaction. Qiao Yu had been working in the outside world for a long time, and had be much more mature. With Qiao Yu as the head of the Qiao family in the future, Qiao Shan would no longer have to worry. Moreover, Qiao Shan had a feeling that if Qiao Yu were to interfere in this matter, there would definitely be room for negotiation. Qiao Yu stared unblinkingly at Qiao Nian. His tone was much calmer than before as he asked, ¡°Do you know why I didn¡¯t attend this family meeting?¡± Qiao Nian looked at Qiao Yu calmly, waiting for him to continue. Chapter 192 - 192 Divorce Certificate ?192: Divorce Certificate 192: Divorce Certificate Editor: As Studios Qiao Yu¡¯s gaze fell on Qiu Nan, who was curled up in a corner. A trace of coldness shed in his eyes. He turned back to look at Qiao Nian and said, ¡°If you could find out what Mom did, do you think I didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°So?¡± Qiao Nian said, her voice nonchnt. In Qiao Nian¡¯s opinion, it was only natural that Qiao Yu knew about this. After all, Qiao Yu was a ruthless and scheming person! Qiao Yu took out a folder from his bag and handed it to Qiao Nian. He said coldly, ¡°Take a look for yourself.¡± Qiao Shan and Qiao Xin walked over curiously. Qiao Nian opened it. Much to her disbelief, she saw two divorce certificates. She had never expected Qiao Shan and Su Xue to have already gotten a divorce. ¡°They¡¯re divorced?¡± Qiao Nian frowned a little. As for Qiao Shan himself, he was also stunned. He didn¡¯t even know when he had gotten a divorce with Su Xue. Qiao Xin¡¯s eyes instantly turned red. She looked at Qiao Yu in confusion and asked curiously, ¡°Brother, what exactly is going on? When did Mom and Dad get divorced?¡± Su Xue, who was hiding under the nket, was trembling. Seeing everyone¡¯s surprised gazes, she finally tugged a bathrobe over and put it on. Standing up, she walked over shakily and nced at the documents, her gaze humbled. With just one nce, Su Xue froze. Divorce certificates? How could this be? Why didn¡¯t she herself know that she had divorced Qiao Shan? As if she were a lunatic, Su Xue snatched the folder away and flipped it open. She looked at the photographs attached, then nced at the stamp of the Civil Affairs Bureau. Her mind was in a mess. After a long while, Su Xue finally recovered. A despairing smile appeared on her face as she murmured, ¡°Qiao Yu, I didn¡¯t get a divorce with your father. Did you get the police to make a fake certificate?¡± Qiao Yu frowned impatiently. His tone was cold as he said disdainfully, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you know thew? If you fake a certificate, you¡¯ll go to jail. How could I make such a mistake?¡± Su Xue felt as if she had been struck by lightning. The divorce certificate fell to the ground just like that. She copsed to the ground, her tears falling uncontrobly. Qiao Shan was still in a daze. His emotions were in a mess. ¡°I found out about you and Qiu Nan half a year ago, but for the sake of your reputation, I didn¡¯t say anything. After that, I got someone to investigate and confirmed that you and Qiu Nan were together. I¡¯ve always been worried that this matter, once discovered, would be used against you. The consequences would be unimaginable, so I helped you get a divorce in advance,¡± Qiao Yu said calmly, his manner as casual as though he wasmenting on the weather. When Su Xue heard Qiao Yu¡¯s words, she suddenly recalled something. Half a year ago, Qiao Yu had indeed asked his secretary to send over a document for her and Qiao Shan to sign. He had told them that it had to do with thepany and had asked them to prepare an identification photo each. At that time, she hadn¡¯t even looked at it before signing it. Su Xue looked at Qiao Yu with tears streaming down her face. She had never expected her son, the child she doted on the most, and the child whom she was the proudest of, to set her up. She was his biological mother! How could he scheme against her? Su Xue looked at Qiao Yu with an aggrieved expression. ¡°How could you? How could you secretly get us divorced?¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t done that, Qiao Nian would be able to send you to prison right now,¡± Qiao Yu said expressionlessly. Su Xue was rendered speechless. Qiao Yu looked at Qiao Shan and said in a much gentler tone, ¡°Dad, I know you like to avoid conflict. You never make a fuss about anything with Mom. But this matter is too big. If we didn¡¯t make a decision, our entire family would be implicated, so I could only secretly make the decision for you. A divorce is the best solution for both of you.¡± Chapter 193 - 193 The Police Have Arrived ?193: The Police Have Arrived 193: The Police Have Arrived Editor: As Studios Qiao Nian looked at Qiao Yu, who was standing in front of her, and narrowed her eyes. She had underestimated Qiao Yu. Qiao Yu was a cold and heartless person. No matter what happened, he would always prioritize his own interests. However, she did not expect Qiao Yu to be just as cold and heartless towards his own biological mother, Su Xue. Su Xue looked up at Qiao Yu, tears streaming down her face. She had raised her son painstakingly. He was her pride and joy, her ray of hope. She didn¡¯t know if she should say that Qiao Yu had be smarter and saved the Qiao family¡¯s reputation, or that he had treated her ruthlessly, uncaring for his own mother. Su Xue looked at Qiao Shan with indignation. With tears streaming down her face, she questioned, ¡°Qiao Shan, we¡¯ve been married for more than thirty years. Is this rtionship really broken just like that? Are you really going to be so heartless as to divorce me?¡± Qiao Shan couldn¡¯t look at Su Xue. Qiao Xin sniffled. Even after all of it, she couldn¡¯t bear to part with Su Xue. After all, she had been raised by Su Xue since she was young. She looked at Qiao Shan in tears and begged, ¡°Dad, there must be another way. I¡¯m begging you not to divorce Mom. Please?¡± When Qiao Yu heard Qiao Xin¡¯s words, his expression darkened. He shouted sternly, ¡°Stop talking!¡± Qiao Xin trembled. She looked pathetically at Qiao Yu. Looking at Qiao Xin¡¯s tear-stained face, Qiao Yu¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but soften. He said softly, ¡°If Mom and Dad don¡¯t get a divorce now, then Mom will go to prison. Do you want Mom to stay in prison for three years?¡± Qiao Xin looked at Qiao Yu with red-rimmed eyes. Of course she didn¡¯t want her mother to go to prison. She didn¡¯t want her father and mother to get a divorce either. Her brother was right. If these divorce certificates didn¡¯t exist, her mother would go to jail. Qiao Yu had always doted on Qiao Xin. He said, ¡°Alright, stop crying. If Mom really knows that she¡¯s in the wrong and Dad can forgive and ept her, then Mom and Dad can remarry. However, the two of them can¡¯t remarry now. Do you understand what I mean?¡± Qiao Xin was no fool. She naturally understood what her brother meant. Now that things hade to this point, she couldn¡¯t say anything else. She could only walk over to Su Xue andfort her softly. ¡°Mom, you have to work hard to gain Dad¡¯s forgiveness. That way, our family can still be together!¡± When Su Xue heard Qiao Xin¡¯s words, she nodded tearfully. She felt a trace offort. At least her daughter was on her side. Qiao Shan didn¡¯t even want to look at Su Xue. He turned his head to the side. At this moment, the police had arrived. ¡°May I know if Miss Qiao was the one who reported the incident? She said that someone had an affair and wasmitting marital infidelity?¡± When Qiao Xin heard the police officer¡¯s question and thought of the two divorce certificates, she instantly felt more confident. She red at Qiao Nian angrily. Without waiting for Qiao Nian to speak, she raised a finger and pointed at Qiao Nian. ¡°Sir, that¡¯s her. She didn¡¯t know the whole story, so she called the police without thinking. She¡¯s made a false report!¡± The police officers looked confused. They took a look at the situation in the room. They all could tell that someone had been having sex in that bed. The Qiao family was considered quite well-known in An City. Naturally, the police also had a certain understanding of the Qiao family. From the looks of it, Su Xue had indeed betrayed Qiao Shan. But what did Qiao Xin mean by that? ¡°What exactly is going on? Who called the police?¡± The police officer said, frowning. Qiao Xin stood up and pointed at Qiao Nian. ¡°It was her. It was her. She falsely used my mother of cheating! My mother is innocent!¡± Qiao Nian looked at Qiao Xin, speechless. Qiao Xin still had the cheek to say that Su Xue was innocent. This was simply a huge joke. Could a mere divorce certificate mean that Su Xue hadn¡¯t cheated on Qiao Shan? Ridiculous. Would Qiao Shan forgive Su Xue now? He wouldn¡¯t. Qiao Shan yearned for Su Xue to be punished. Qiao Nian saw Qiao Shan walking out of the room, his face nk. Chapter 194 - 194 I Want to Make a Report! ?194: I Want to Make a Report! 194: I Want to Make a Report! Editor: As Studios Qiao Yu calmly walked up to the police officer. With a gentlemanly smile on his face, he said, ¡°Officer, I¡¯m Qiao Yu, Qiao Shan¡¯s eldest son. If you have any questions, you can ask me.¡± The police knew the Qiao family well, given that they were a well-known family in An City. Hence, the officer asked, ¡°What exactly happened?¡± The smile on Qiao Yu¡¯s face didn¡¯t change. He continued, ¡°Actually, this was all a misunderstanding. My younger sister didn¡¯t know that my parents had already gotten a divorce. When she saw my mother and her boyfriending here, she thought that my mother had cheated on her husband. In a fit of anger, she called the police. I¡¯m very sorry for making you officerse here for nothing. This is our fault!¡± When the police officer heard Qiao Yu¡¯s words, he was slightly stunned. He frowned. ¡°They¡¯re divorced?¡± Qiao Yu smiled and nodded, handing the divorce certificates to the police. The police officer nced at Qiao Yu in confusion, then at Su Xue and Qiu Nan before opening the folder. So Qiao Shan and Su Xue had already divorced a long time ago. The officer knew very well that in order not to cause their children worry, many parents still lived together even after getting a divorce. They would pretend that they were still together. The police officer closed the folder and handed the divorce certificates to Qiao Yu. With a serious expression, he reprimanded, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. If the parents have already divorced, the children should be told, especially since they¡¯re no longer young. If not, there might be misunderstandings in the future!¡± Qiao Yu said humbly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Officer. We were in the wrong. I¡¯ll get my assistant to follow you to the police station to make a statement. We¡¯ll definitely cooperate with you.¡± Qiao Yu¡¯s attitude wasmendable. He admitted their mistake without hesitation. His actions were straightforward, and the officer couldn¡¯t find any fault with him. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Gu Zhou, who had been standing silently in the corner, stood up straight. He took a step forward, exuding a cold aura that made one shiver. The police officer looked over. When he saw Gu Zhou, he was stunned. He had not expected such an otherworldly man to ever exist in real life. He looked like a god from heaven. Even him, a straight man, felt that Gu Zhou was handsome. The officer had seen photos of Gu Zhou before, but he felt that the photos did not capture a fraction of Gu Zhou¡¯s elegance and aura. ¡°Mr. Gu, is there anything else?¡± The police officer asked politely. ¡°I want to make a police report!¡± Gu Zhou¡¯s voice was not loud, but it frightened everyone present. Everyone in the Qiao family felt their hearts jump to their throats. Qiao Xin¡¯s expression changed. She looked at Gu Zhou worriedly. Qiao Yu¡¯s brow furrowed imperceptibly, but he quickly regained hisposure. Gu Zhou¡¯s cold eyes swept indifferently across Su Xue, who was standing at the side. Finally, his gaze fell on Qiu Nan, who was still curled up in the corner. The police officer looked at Gu Zhou in confusion. Gu Zhou stood there, sunlight casting him in a warm glow. He seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. Gu Zhou walked towards the police officer step by step, his voice low and hoarse. ¡°Since Qiao Shan and Su Xue have already divorced, Qiao Shan has nothing to do with Su Xue. I just saw Qiao Shan beat up Su Xue and her boyfriend, Qiu Nan, with my own eyes. This is a crime of intentional injury!¡± Qiao Shan, who had walked to the door of the room, was stunned. He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Gu Zhou in disbelief. Was Gu Zhou mad? He was clearly the victim, but Gu Zhou was actually making a police report in favor of Su Xue! Qiao Shan clenched his fists tightly. If looks could kill, Gu Zhou would have died long ago. As for Su Xue, she was stunned. She looked at Gu Zhou in confusion. When the officer heard Gu Zhou¡¯s words, he turned to look at Su Xue. His gaze lingered on her face. Su Xue¡¯s hair was in a mess, and her face was already swollen. Her nose was still bleeding. The police officer¡¯s gaze fell on Qiu Nan again. Qiu Nan was no better off than Su Xue. One of his eyes was swollen so badly that he couldn¡¯t open it. Chapter 195 - 195 Fetish ?195: Fetish 195: Fetish Editor: As Studios The officers had first arrived at the scene because someone had reported that someone hadmitted the crime of adultery. Hence, they didn¡¯t pay too much attention to Su Xue and Qiu Nan¡¯s injuries, and neglected to realize that a violent altercation must have taken ce. Qiao Nian looked at Gu Zhou with a strange light in her eyes, but that light quickly disappeared. She stood calmly at the side. She wanted to see how Qiao Yu would protect Qiao Shan. A police officer walked up to Qiao Shan and said coldly, ¡°Mr. Qiao, since you¡¯ve already divorced Madam Su, then Madam Su has notmitted the crime of adultery. However, it is against thew for you to hit Madam Su and her boyfriend. Pleasee with us.¡± Qiao Shan gritted his teeth and red at Su Xue. His gaze finallynded on the police officer¡¯s face. He opened his mouth slightly, but he didn¡¯t know how to exin himself. He was furious. He was clearly the victim. He had been cheated on; it was him who should be pitied. It was only right for him to hit Su Xue and Qiu Nan. Why was he in the wrong now? Su Xue, who was standing beside Qiao Xin, swayed on the spot, her heart in her throat. In that instant, she suddenly understood what Gu Zhou meant to do. Gu Zhou was going to draw the line between her and Qiao Shan forever. Qiao Shan was someone who cared about his reputation. How could he tolerate his wife having an affair? Beyond that, he still had to wear thebel of a criminal who hadmitted intentional injury. Gu Zhou¡¯s casual words cut straight to the heart. Qiao Yu stood there, pretending to be calm, but his mind was already in a mess. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Gu Zhou. He had never expected Gu Zhou to have considered every aspect of the matter. Gu Zhou wanted his father and mother to never be together again! Did Gu Zhou like Qiao Nian that much? Was he willing to help Qiao Nian take revenge on the Qiao family? Qiao Nian stood at the side. Looking at Qiao Shan and Su Xue¡¯s expressions, her lips curved up involuntarily. It seemed that the show had just begun. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t my fault.¡± Suppressing his anger, Qiao Shan enunciated each word clearly. The other police officer took several photographs of the wounds on Qiu Nan and Su Xue¡¯s faces before walking over to Qiao Shan. He said to the police officer next to Qiao Shan, ¡°The evidence has been taken. After the doctor has examined their injuries, we can interrogate them.¡± Su Xue¡¯s heart was about to jump out of her throat. Her mind was racing. At this moment, her thoughts were crystal clear. ¡°Officer, that¡¯s not what happened. The injuries on our faces were inflicted by ourselves. They have nothing to do with Qiao Shan. He didn¡¯t hit anyone.¡± Running over to the police officer, Su Xue spoke impatiently. When the police heard Su Xue¡¯s words, they frowned. ¡°Is that so? Did you make yourself look like this?¡± Su Xue was slightly stunned. She quickly nodded and said, ¡°Yes, I did it myself.¡± The officer felt that Su Xue was insulting his intelligence. Su Xue¡¯s injuries were very serious. How could she have made herself look like this? The police officer narrowed his eyes and stared at Su Xue¡¯s face, scrutinizing her. He asked, ¡°Alright, since you¡¯ve said so, why don¡¯t you tell me how the two of you got yourselves so badly injured?¡± Su Xue was slightly stunned. She looked at Qiao Shan and saw him ring at her angrily. Su Xue knew very well that if she failed to protect Qiao Shan this time, the chances of her reconciling with him would be zero. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Su Xue¡¯s mind was in a mess. Her gaze fell on Qiu Nan¡¯s face, and her eyes shed. She continued, ¡°It¡¯s Qiu Nan. It¡¯s Qiu Nan. He has some odd fetishes. He¡¯s into sadomasochism!¡± When the policeman heard Su Xue¡¯s words, a trace of surprise shed in his eyes. In the end, he looked at Qiu Nan with disdain and asked sternly, ¡°You must be Qiu Nan. Tell me, did you injure yourself? Do you have that kind of fetish?¡± Chapter 196 - 196 Betrayal ?196: Betrayal 196: Betrayal Editor: As Studios Qiu Nan had never expected to bebeled as someone with a fetish. He pursed his lips slightly. If word got out that he was into sadomasochism, his friends would all see him through a different lens. His career as a fitness instructor would be ruined! When Qiu Nan thought of how Su Xue had just pushed him out to take the me, his expression darkened. He had to make Su Xue pay with her life! With this thought in mind, Qiu Nan was about to speak when he suddenly sensed Qiao Yu¡¯s cold gaze on him. His gaze faltered. It was as though if he denied the allegations against him, he would never have a good life again. At this moment, Qiu Nan¡¯s mind was racing. The Qiao family was a big family. If Qiao Shan really went to prison because of him, the Qiao family would definitely not let him off. Inparison to beingughed at by his friends, he was more afraid that the Qiao family would take revenge on him. At the thought of this, Qiao Shan could only sigh and prepare to agree. ¡°Mr. Qiu,¡± Gu Zhou spokenguidly, ¡°your testimony is very important. If you lie, then you¡¯ll bemitting the crime of withholding evidence and shielding a criminal. You have to think this through carefully. Would I make a report without evidence?¡± Qiu Nan¡¯s mind went nk. Gu Zhou had actually recorded everything. Qiu Nan couldn¡¯t believe it. Even if he stood on Su Xue¡¯s side now, he would be in even greater trouble once Gu Zhou produced the evidence. What should he do now? He could not afford to offend the Qiao family, but he could not afford to offend Gu Zhou either. Qiao Yu looked at Gu Zhou with aplicated expression. Qiao Nian seemed to be displeased that Qiu Nan was refusing to respond. It was as though he was pretending to be deaf and mute. Smiling, she reminded him, ¡°You¡¯d better think carefully about some things. To be honest, you¡¯re just a victim. If you don¡¯t tell the truth, you and Qiao Shan will both go to jail. With you by his side, I¡¯m sure Mr. Qiao won¡¯t be lonely anymore.¡± When Qiu Nan heard Qiao Nian¡¯s words, he could see himself being beaten up by Qiao Shan in prison. He couldn¡¯t help but shiver. In fact, he didn¡¯t want to bebeled as a sadomasochist either, so he chose to tell the truth. ¡°Officer, Qiao Shan was the one who beat me up! The moment Qiao Shan entered, he gave Su Xue and me a beating. At that time, I thought that Su Xue and he hadn¡¯t gotten a divorce, so I didn¡¯t dare to resist. However, now that I know that Qiao Shan and Su Xue have already gotten a divorce, I¡¯m puzzled. Since they¡¯re divorced, why should Qiao Shan care if his ex-wife is in a rtionship? Oh dear, it hurts so much. I have to go to the hospital to get my injuries examined. Please call the ambnce. I can no longer move!¡± Qiu Nan was well-deserving of his fitness instructor title. He had always relied on his glib tongue to attract customers to purchase memberships, so at this moment, he was fully utilizing his strengths. When Qiao Shan heard Qiu Nan¡¯s words, he stepped back into the room in a rage. He wanted to attack Qiu Nan, but was stopped by the police. Qiao Shan gritted his teeth in anger. He red fiercely at Su Xue and cursed, ¡°Look at you. What kind of lover have you found? Who does he think he is?!¡± What made Qiao Shan the angriest was that he was clearly the victim, yet he had to bear the me. He had to be taken to the police station for assault! Qiao Shan felt that even eating shit wasn¡¯t as disgusting as this. In a rage, Qiao Shan began to cough violently! Su Xue looked at Qiu Nan with resentment written all over her face. She had never expected this obedient little puppy, who usually obeyed her everymand, to be so shameless. Qiao Yu narrowed his eyes and looked at Qiu Nan dangerously, remaining silent. Qiao Nian, who was standing at the side, pursed her lips. The smile in her eyes grew brighter and brighter. She said in a considerate manner, ¡°Dad, Mom has already divorced you. No matter what kind of person her boyfriend is, you shouldn¡¯t have stepped in. Although you won the physical fight, you¡¯ll be sent to prison. It¡¯s really not worth it.¡± The police officer standing at the side nodded in agreement and said, ¡°Mr. Qiao, this youngdy is right. Since you¡¯re already divorced, don¡¯t bother yourself with other people¡¯s affairs. Let¡¯s go. Come to the police station with us now.¡± Qiao Shan felt dizzy. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!